


Dorne with Arianne

by Salamon2



Series: Game of Thrones Script Rewrites: The Dornish Tales [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Dorne Rewrite Project, Gen, Season 6 Meereen set up, Season Arc Rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-08-13 19:42:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7983802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salamon2/pseuds/Salamon2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frustrated as I have been with the TV show version of Dorne lacking Arianne, and its decided laughability in adaptation. I decided to see if I could find a way to re-imagine the TV universe for Dorne as a way to get me out of my writer's funk.</p><p>Ellaria Sand returns to Sunspear only to arrive as Princess Myrcella's sworn shield, Ser Arys Oakhart has been mysteriously found dead in his bed. Tensions rise in Sunspear as the death of Oberyn and the mystery of how Ser Arys died flares up tempers and brings to light long held grudges and mistrust all in the name of vengeance, putting Princess Myrcella in deathly danger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode One: The Wars To Come

**Author's Note:**

> This is written in a script format, and only features the Dorne scenes I am rewriting or adding for each episode, or scenes that would need to change due to changes in Dorne effecting the wider plot.
> 
> I tried rather hard to keep financial limitations and considerations in mind. For one I assumed that they wouldn't be filming in one of Spain's national treasures (as I heard that a large part of the budget went into reserving that space alone--and even then they didn't have a lot of time to practice in it for fight scenes, and had to hurry filming there as they had a limited amount of time, etc.). As such, I imagine they have booked a far less well known castle in Spain that's cheaper to rent and they have more freedom to film in that space and alter its appearance to suit their needs, like they do with the castle they use for Winterfell in Northern Ireland.
> 
> Next limitation, I figured since one of the three Sand Snakes on the TV show didn't leave that much of an impression in Season 5 *cough*Nymeria*cough*, that she could be exchanged for an actress to play Arianne. As such, there is no Nymeria Sand in this adaptation, and we only see the two Sand Snakes whose actresses were given the time and the material to be interesting.
> 
> I took some elements from show Dorne as my goal was to try and write something that would look more like a suggested rewrite of the plot line were I an assistant writer for D&D. As such I kept some elements from the TV show, but employed them with a purposeful difference than they did, which will be noticeable as we get deeper into the season.
> 
> That all said, sit back and enjoy if you so desire as I attempt to come up with something a bit more interesting than what the TV show did with Dorne.

  
**EXT. A BARGE ON THE GREENBLOOD RIVER OUTSIDE SUNSPEAR**  
  
From a distance we see from a barge slowly progressing down the Greenblood the glories of Sunspear and its Shadow City. Title card in the corner denotes this as Sunspear in a call back to the pilot’s first shot of Winterfell.  
  
ELLARIA steps into the view.  
  
Camera cuts to see ELLARIA, dressed in mourning clothes, shades her face as the barge lazily travels down the river. We see behind her, a gigantic trunk attended by Silent sisters. The trunk is decorated with the Martell house sigil but also that of a red viper encircling the sun.  
  
Ellaria approaches the trunk and lovingly touches it.  
  
ELLARIA  
_(softly)_  
We’re home, my love.  
  
  
  
**EXT. A CROWDED SHADOW CITY STREET**  
  
We see a palanquin struggle to make it through the crowded street as guards have to push back citizens who press to come forward. The curtains of the palanquin are embroidered with the sun and spear of House Martell, but lacking a red viper encircling the sun. AREO HOTAH is by the palanquin’s right side.  
  
  
RANDOM CROWD MEMBERS  
War! For Oberyn! For Elia! For Dorne! War and Vengeance!  
  
  
  
**INT. DORAN'S PALANQUIN**  
  
We see Prince Doran sitting up with his eyes closed and a few streams of sunlight shining on his face. This shot should recall Cersei’s first scene this season when arriving for her father’s funeral at the Sept.  
  
From outside the palanquin we continue to hear the crowd chanting.  
  
RANDOM CROWD MEMBERS  
War and Vengeance! Blood for blood! For Dorne!  
  
  
  
**EXT. PALACE GARDENS - DAY DREAM**  
  
We see three children, two boys and a girl, play in a fountain in the water gardens, clearly meant to be Doran and his siblings. A servant calls for the children and Elia and Oberyn run off leaving the young Doran struggling to get out of the fountain as his foot has slipped, causing him to fall back into the water, which covers him rather quickly. This sequence should visually communicate Doran’s emotional feelings and state of being.  
  
   
  
**INT. DORAN'S PALANQUIN**  
  
The shouting has grown distant to the point it stops and DORAN opens his eyes, with a sad expression upon his face. The curtain pulls back and the sun streams directly onto DORAN’s face. AREO HOTAH sticks his head through the parted curtain.  
  
AREO  
We’ve arrived, my Prince.  
  
Prince DORAN nods.  
  
DORAN  
I’m afraid I shall need the chair, the pain is worse from the journey.  
  
AREO nods and withdraws his head.  
  
   
  
**EXT. OUTER COURTYARD**  
  
AREO HOTAH backs away from the palanquin and jerks his head in the direction of the palanquin while making eye contact with someone off screen. We change to a wide shot of the courtyard where we see that the palanquin has stopped inside a grand courtyard where the entire household has assembled in honor of the Prince’s return. From the crowd we see a servant approach pushing a wheel chair across the stone of the courtyard. When the chair is next to the palanquin, AREO reaches inside of the palanquin and lifts the Prince out of the palanquin and sets him down gently in his wheeled chair. None of the servants should look surprised by this action, nor any of the household, conveying that this has been the state of affairs in Dorne for some time. DORAN looks around the crowd and meets eyes with ARIANNE, his daughter. They exchange looks before DORAN summons her to his side.  
  
DORAN  
Arianne, where is your brother, his betrothed, and her whitecloak?  
  
ARIANNE  
It is lovely to see you as well, father.  
  
She kisses him on both cheeks, dutifully, but without any lingering affection.  
  
ARIANNE  
As you can see I have handled Sunspear rather well since you retired to the Water Gardens.  
  
Horns blow from atop the walls of the courtyard off screen.  
  
DORAN  
That would be Ellaria.  
  
The gates open once again and in enters ELLARIA. She approaches and takes to a knee in front of DORAN. Behind her enters guards and men who help carry the trunk.  
  
DORAN  
Rise, Ellaria. You were a great comfort to my brother in his life. You will always have a place at my hearth.  
  
ELLARIA rises.  
  
ELLARIA  
I thank you, my prince. I would see my daughters and see that Oberyn's bones are laid out at the Sept.  
  
DORAN looks up to the trunk decorated with the Martell sun.  
  
DORAN  
Of course. We will speak later. I have an important matter that I wish to discuss with you in particular.  
  
ELLARIA rises and departs, with Oberyn's trunk following after her. ARIANNE approaches and stands next to her father.  
  
AREO  
Such a tragedy that woman has had to endure.  
  
ARIANNE  
Tragedy seems to be all that Dorne knows of late.  
  
DORAN looks at his daughter oddly for a moment. BEAT.  
  
DORAN  
You know, you still have not answered me, Arianne.  
  
ARIANNE  
What do you mean?  
  
DORAN  
Where is your brother and his companions?  
  
ARIANNE sighs.  
  
ARIANNE  
My brother and his betrothed are in the Sept, praying for Ser Arys’ soul.  
  
DORAN smirks with a knowing glance to AREO.  
  
DORAN  
Has that Oakhart knight broken his vow and managed to get some girl with child? I am surprised it took him this long. Knights of the Reach are not known for their restraint. Generations of Dornish women have known that to be true. But to wait as long as he has must have seemed an eternity, I applaud his fortitude.  
  
ARIANNE looks rather uncomfortable, crosses her arms just under her bosom, swallows, and then speaks.  
  
ARIANNE  
No, father. Trystane found Ser Arys early this morning, dead in his bed.  
  
The smirk on DORAN’s lips fades and his eyes widen before he turns to AREO.  
  
DORAN  
See that the gates are locked and the household interrogated at once.  
  
AREO  
I shall see it done, my prince.  
  
DORAN summons a servant to push him towards the sept.  
  
ARIANNE  
I have already questioned the servants!  
  
DORAN  
See that they’re questioned again!  
  
ARIANNE is left in the courtyard looking as her father leaves, her face slowly contorting into a frustrated frown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The goal of the Dorne scenes in this episode is to try and get the audience who haven't read to books to think that the title might indeed refer to a future war between Dorne and King's Landing within this season and get the audience excited and interested to see Dorne as the big new locale for this season. Callbacks are intentionally made within the script to earlier episodes in earlier seasons in order to create a cohesive body of work with previous seasons, make Dorne feel as though it belongs on the same continent as the rest of Westeros, and make the audience feel that they're not so much being introduced to something new as much as a different flavor of what they already know and love.


	2. Episode 2: The House of Black and White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cersei and Jaime react to the news from Dorne. Trystane pledges Myrcella's safety. Ellaria warns Arianne.

** Episode Two: The House of Black and White **

  
**INT. A ROOM IN THE TOWER OF THE HAND - THE RED KEEP**  
  
CERSEI sits at the desk her father had sat at as Hand of the King, a partially drunk glass of wine and a flagon are within easy reach. Her attention is focused intensely on a letter laid out before her. She stares intently at it, her fingers drumming slowly and purposefully as she reads it over again and again.

 

Enter JAIME.

 

CERSEI

Close the door.

 

JAIME looks around for a handmaid or some other servant to obey the command, and then does so himself. After he shuts the door, JAIME crosses to the desk.

 

CERSEI hands him the letter. He takes it and reads, as he does so, CERSEI picks up her glass of wine and drinks.

 

JAIME

Ser Arys is dead?!

 

CERSEI

It seems you will require a new brother to take a white cloak.

 

JAIME

This seems suspicious.

 

CERSEI

Of course it’s suspicious. Our daughter’s protector, her personal Kingsguard found dead in his bed not long after the death of Prince Oberyn, even the smallfolk would find that suspicious.

 

JAIME

She needs more protection, and Ser Arys’ death obviously needs to be investigated by someone who isn’t Dornish.

 

CERSEI

(oddly calm)

No. I’m sending you to Dorne to bring her home immediately.

  
(BEAT)

JAIME

You’d risk our alliance? Need I remind you that she is betrothed to Prince Doran’s son.

 

CERSEI

(she slams her glass down on the desk)

Tyrion’s alliance. That Imp shipped our daughter off to Dorne like some bushel of wheat, and now I want her back! And Prince Doran can send his son to King’s Landing just as easily as Myrcella can live at Sunspear!

 

JAIME

I’m sure that would go over rather well with the Martells, sending their last living son to where his aunt and cousins were murdered.

 

CERSEI

Since when have you ever cared about the Martells? They blame us for every wrong done to their family and their cursed country. I will burn their cities to the ground if they dare touch her!  
  
BEAT. Their eyes locked intensely with each other.  
  
CERSEI  
Prince Doran needs someone to fill his seat on the small council and his son’s future goodbrother is to be married to that little whore from Highgarden, it would only be right for his son to represent him in these matters—would it not? And besides, the boy isn’t even his heir. What should he care when his daughter will inherit Dorne by their law.

 

JAIME

He might not be his heir, but I know from experience that fathers usually take a tremendous interest in their sons regardless.

 

CERSEI

Like you did for our eldest boy as he lay choking on the ground?

 

BEAT.

 

JAIME

If I was a father to our children, they’d be stoned in the streets.

 

CERSEI

And so you play the loyal Lord Commander, protecting our children from any danger, except poison. One dead, and another caught in the jaws of a viper, what a fine Lord Commander you make. (BEAT) If you won’t be a father to them, then at least do your duty as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard! Take whatever men you need—take the army, just bring me back my daughter!

 

CERSEI reaches for the wine glass to calm down and finish it off.

 

JAIME

Bringing an Army to Dorne would start another war, and I’m sure Myrcella would be as well treated as Sansa Stark in a war.  


SFX: Glass Breaking.

 

Close up of Cersei’s hand. She’s clutched the wine glass so tightly that it’s broken, blood and wine mixing together.

 

JAIME  
I’ll go to Dorne, and I won’t go alone, but I won’t start another war, for her sake.

 

JAIME EXITS.

 

  
  
**INT. SEPT OF SUNSPEAR**  
  
Overhead Shot. We see SER ARYS, dressed in his white armor of the Kingsguard, laid out on an altar for a funeral with stones on his eyes. SER ARYS is decidedly middle-aged, looking neither too young nor too old. Standing over is body is the Princess MYRCELLA and Prince TRYSTANE. TRYSTANE poorly attempts to comforts MYRCELLA, who clings to him and buries her face in his embrace, nevertheless.

 

MYRCELLA

He was always kind to me. The other Kingsguard were gruff and more concerned over Father or Joffrey, as was only natural I suppose, but Ser Arys was different. On the voyage to Dorne, when I could hardly keep from crying he told me stories of my father in his youth and all the tourneys and melees he’d won and how he had loved Lord Stark’s lady sister. He told me of Essos, his travels there when he’d been a member of the Second Son’s and of their strange gods and customs they had—the mazebuilders of Lorath, the Lion of the Night of Yi Ti, the Many-Faced God of Braavos, the Great Stallion of the Dothraki, the Black Goat of Qohor, and the Weeping Lady of Lys. He told me so many stories, that I quite forgot I was sad at all.  I… I felt safe with him. Truly safe.  
  
TRYSTANE

And you are still safe. My father and I make sure of it. You have our protection.

 

MYRCELLA  
Do I? My sworn shield was murdered in his sleep and yet I am still safe?

 

TRYSTANE

There is no sign that he was murdered. Maester Myles declared he was free from any sign of wrong doing. Men die in their sleep all the time.

 

MYRCELLA

Aye, fat old men who cannot see the ground for their bellies. But a Kingsguard in perfect health?

 

TRYSTANE sighs.

 

TRYSTANE

I do not wish to fight with you.

 

TRYSTANE tries to kiss MYRCELLA, but she moves her head away just in time.

 

MYRCELLA

Then do something, Trystane. Don’t just stand there saying things are being done, do them yourself.

 

TRYSTANE

What would you have me do? I am yours to command and love.

 

MYRCELLA

Find his murderer and bring them to justice. I won’t feel safe until you do.

 

They kiss.

 

TRYSTANE

You wouldn’t be this insistent if you didn’t already have a person in mind.

 

BEAT. MYRCELLA avoids his eyes.

 

MYRCELLA

Your sister was rather fond of him.

 

TRYSTANE

You can be seriously accusing—

  
MYRCELLA takes a step or two closer to Ser Arys.

 

MYRCELLA

I have yet to see her visit the Sept. Surely, if she were as fond of him as she had been,  she’d have shown her respects by now…

 

TRYSTANE sighs, closes the gap between them, meets her with his eyes, and then kneels and takes her hand closest to him.

 

TRYSTANE

I swear to you that I will discover the truth of his death.

 

Footsteps are heard and TRYSTANE startled turns to see ARIANNE step out of the shadows.

 

ARIANNE

How sweet a scene you two make. And what trouble you’d be, were I the Septon or a Septa. Never fear, I shall be as quiet as the Stranger come to collect his due.

 

TRYSTANE stands.

 

TRYSTANE

Have you come to pay your respects?

 

ARIANNE

I have, little brother. And you, my dear sweet goodsister to be—

 

MYRCELLA breaks off from TRYSTANE and crosses to the other side of SER ARYS’ corpse, her back turned to ARIANNE. BEAT. ARIANNE then approaches SER ARYS’ corpse, and pulls up her silk veil over her head and kneels in prayer. MYRCELLA, unable to stand another moment in the Sept, turns and hurries to the exit, TRYSTANE follows after only for them to find ELLARIA entering.

 

ELLARIA

Princess.

 

MYRCELLA

Lady Ellaria, I… (swallows) I want to say how very sorry I am for Prince Oberyn’s death.

 

ELLARIA

I thank you for your kind words. Oberyn was a stubborn, headstrong man, but I loved him for it all the same. I hope you and your Prince will have as great a love as we did.

 

MYRCELLA bows her head and exits. TRYSTANE moves to follow, but ELLARIA stops him.

 

ELLARIA

Take care of your betrothed, my Prince, for I fear she may need it now more than ever.

 

TRYSTANE nods and exits.

 

ELLARIA crosses to Ser Arys’ corpse and looks at it, as she does, ARIANNE rises.

 

ELLARIA

Do not let me disturb your prayers.

 

ARIANNE

I had just finished. (BEAT) It should be my uncle laying there, for your sake at the very least.

 

ELLARIA

Aye it should, but all that remains of Oberyn are his bones. They will have their proper time to be honored and laid out—but they can wait, as your father says. Ser Arys’ body could not.

ARIANNE

If you did not come here to pay respect to the dead, then why are you here?

 

ELLARIA

I saw you come in here and I wanted to speak with you alone, without prying eyes and attentive ears.

 

ARIANNE

For what reason?

 

ELLARIA

I have just come from speaking with your father, and he has taken a particular notice in the face of Ser Arys’ death that Ser Gerold Dayne has gone missing from your service.

 

ARIANNE

What about him? Ser Gerold decided to leave my service of his own volition and returned to High Hermitage. He left before Ser Arys was even found dead.

 

ELLARIA

Your father is unlikely to believe that.

 

ARIANNE

What are you trying to imply?

 

ELLARIA

For the love my daughters bear you, I am warning you, that if you know anything more about Ser Gerold’s departure, to go to your father now and declare it.

 

ARIANNE

I don’t care for your assumptions. What would I know of his leaving beyond what he told me?

ARIANNE moves to leave, but ELLARIA grabs her by the elbow.

 

ELLARIA

I know you two were lovers. All of Sunspear knew you were lovers, you hid it very poorly. If you had some sort of lovers’ spat that led to his departure, best tell your father before he has him dragged back to Sunspear and accused of doing harm to Ser Arys in order to satisfy King’s Landing.

 

ARIANNE

And what do you care of Ser Gerold’s fate?

 

ELLARIA

I would rather not see any more blood spilt.

 

ARIANNE

Not even in Oberyn’s name?

 

BEAT.

 

ELLARIA

I will not say that I have not imagined the Mountain dead, his skull pushed in and blood oozing from where his eyes were, but I would be lying to say that I would want to force a warrior to such a task all for the sake of my own vengeance.

 

ARIANNE

Who would need to force anyone when they cry for blood in the streets?

 

ARIANNE EXITS. Camera lingers on ELLARIA who appears deeply affected and conflicted by ARIANNE’s parting words. She turns to the body of SER ARYS to look away as ARIANNE leaves the Sept. ELLARIA looks at SER ARYS. BEAT. She leans in closer. Camera cuts to a close up of SER ARYS’ face, ELLARIA touches SER ARYS’ nose and we see dried blood that cracks off and appears on Ellaria’s fingertips. She holds the dried blood and examines it. Music swells.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this episode I rewrote the Cersei and Jaime scene from this episode because the change in circumstances required it. I tried to give D&D's strongest lines of the scene a chance to remain in an altered form. I think it makes far more sense for Jaime to go to Dorne with the death of a fellow Kingsguard brother and was surprised why the show couldn't have used that as a ploy to try and prompt his going which establishes that the Dornish plotters are 1) a serious threat, 2) closes that plot hole of a Kingsguard going to Dorne with Myrcella & then never being mentioned again without the need to hire a big name actor, instead it can be an extra or one of the production crew, and 3) adds a ticking clock and higher stakes. Rather than there just being a random threat against her life supported by theft of her locket and a random viper. The death of a fellow kingsguard speaks for itself.
> 
> Myrcella and Trystane from the original show were written as two of the most trite teenagers in love. Their initial conversation while establishing this in the show, does little to clue us in to who they are as people and so we have little investment in them beyond wanting to not see yet another innocent suffer on the show, when we know full well what happens to innocents. Here, Myrcella we see has something of her mother in her as her scene with Trystane parallels Cersei's with Jaime. The reactions of Jaime and Trystane speak to the differences in age between the two pairings, showing the audience how naive Trystane is by contrast to the pragmatism of Jaime.
> 
> Ser Arys' backstory has been tampered with, admittedly, with him being a little older than he is in the books and he needed something to have filled that extra time with. This is to give Myrcella a sense of having had a father figure who protected her once and thus make our investment in his death have a little more meaning (also having it be a parallel back to Season 1 where Jon Arryn dies and we care because he was like a father to Ned and Robert). It is also to provide establishment for some of the gods and wider world we'll get a taste of when Arya finally enters the House of Black and White as she will at the end of the episode as it already exists. Instead of those gods just being stone carvings on a wall, we now have names that we don't need to go to the special features section to discover. It also provides a wider scope of the world that makes the tv show feel that there is more to life on Planetos outside of the Westerosi plot.
> 
> And lastly Ellaria's story arc is started off as she tries to warn Arianne of her father's plans in an attempt to keep things peaceful in Dorne, finding it doesn't go well.


	3. Episode 3: The High Sparrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plots abound and wheels are set in motion.

** Episode Three: High Sparrow **

 

 

 **INT. THRONE ROOM OF SUNSPEAR**  


At the end of the room, we see DORAN sitting upon the throne upon a dais. AREO stands guard next to him, within reach of DORAN’s right hand. TRYSTANE and ARIANNE stand at the foot of the throne. ELLARIA is present in the throne room, though at a distance from TRYSTANE and ARIANNE, and not up on the dais.

 

DORAN

It is a convenient coincidence that Ser Gerold should depart so close to Ser Arys’ death.

 

ARIANNE

He left a day or two before. I did not think it worth mentioning.

 

DORAN

(to TRYSTANE)

Is this true?

 

TRYSTANE

I did not keep account of his whereabouts for which I think we might all have cause to regret.

 

DORAN frowns and then returns his attention to ARIANNE.

 

DORAN

And did his knowledge of your tryst with Ser Arys impact his decision to leave?  
  
ARIANNE stares blankly at her father for a moment.

 

DORAN

One would think the heir to Dorne would be a bit more eloquent in her speech when exposed.

 

ARIANNE

Yes, yes, he knew.

 

DORAN nods.

 

DORAN

And did he know of the babe as well?

 

ARIANNE’s eyes widen.

 

DORAN

There is nothing that happens in Sunspear that I do not hear of. I may have retreated for my gouty constitution to the Water Gardens but that does not stem the flood of information that comes to me. Palaces are full of little birds and mice eager to share any information they can peck away at. And then of course there are always handmaids and servants watching and listening to everything we say or do. One handmaid in particular, told of odd meetings between you, Ser Arys, and Ser Gerold. The poor girl thought you might be plotting something more heinous and that I should know, but when she reported that you had stopped bleeding, I knew the truth. Your actions since I have returned to Sunspear have only confirmed my suspicions.

 

ARIANNE

How so?

 

DORAN

The moment I even suggested Ser Arys had gotten a child on a woman, your face and body told me all that your voice and words would not. All I want to know is why you thought—  
  
ARIANNE

Why? I would think that as plainly obvious to such a keen eye as yours as the sand on the shore. I am soon to see thirty namedays, and still I have yet to marry! I am your heir and even young Maester Myles says if I wait much longer to begin having heirs of my own, that the chance I should die in the process grows ever more likely. To prevent that, I need to marry, and yet I stand here, dangerously unattached. So I thought if I were to be with child that you might actually marry me off at long last.

 

DORAN

I have provided you more than ample opportunity to be married. There was Lord Rosby, Lord Celtigar, Lord Uller, and Lord Frey—why I believe Lord Walder is in need of another wife since you’ve managed to outlive his last one. The problem isn’t that I haven’t found you any potential husbands, it’s that you refuse the ones I give you to consider. You can marry any time you choose to any of them. In any case—

 

ARIANNE

Old men! That’s all you ever offer me. What woman who isn’t old herself, wishes to lay beside a decrepit old man, who may or may not be virile enough to provide the heir I need. When old Lord Tully wrote that he was seeking to marry his son Edmure and ally our houses, I thought that mayhaps I might have a chance to marry someone nearer my age!

 

DORAN

As I recall, you lit every candle in the Sept in prayer when you heard that. Regardless—

 

ARIANNE

Yes, and what did you do? You wrote back and offered me to Ser Edmure’s uncle, the Blackfish instead. A man well known for refusing every offer of marriage given to him. Trystane though is to marry the pretty granddaughter of our enemy, but I? I am plagued to play nursemaid to some ancient ruin of a man.

 

TRYSTANE steps forward clearly incensed.

 

TRYSTANE

Myrcella is not our enemy, nor is her family.

 

DORAN sits up at this and gives a quick look at AREO.

 

ARIANNE

Yes, I’m sure that’s what her grandfather said when he ordered the Mountain to murder our aunt Elia and her children!

 

DORAN looks away and bites his lip.

 

TRYSTANE

Myrcella wasn’t even born. Is she at fault for what her grandsire may or may not have done?

 

ARIANNE

May not have done? Baby brother, do not argue about things of which you have no memory. When our Aunt came to visit us just before the Rebellion, I held our cousin Rhaenys in my arms. It was the first time I ever held a babe. I was so nervous, I was worried I’d drop her, but she was so soft, sweet and innocent, and then the Mountain stabbed her half a hundred times until she stopped screaming. And her little brother, Aegon… gods, he was born here and looked so like his mother—they both did, there was hardly anything Targaryen about them in feature they were all Martell. And to think of the Mountain stabbing her and smashing his little skull in--

 

DORAN lifts his head up and AREO pounds the end of his axe on the ground to end the interlude.

 

DORAN

Enough of this pointless prattle.

 

ARIANNE

Pointless prattle?! Is that all that our family means to you?

 

DORAN

You’re evading my question, Arianne. Why did you—

 

ARIANNE

Why?! I’ve told you more than enough—!

 

DORAN

No, not why are you with child. If you would let me complete a thought, you would know that what I want to know is why you were so foolish as to play a Dayne and an Oakheart off of one another?

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN

Don’t look so confused. Think back to your lessons and how nearly every war between the Reach and Dorne has ever started.

 

ARIANNE

_(confused)_

Land disputes between the kingdoms and control of the tributaries and headwaters to our rivers.

 

DORAN

And?

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN

(to Trystane)

Do you know the answer?

 

TRYSTANE looks at ARIANNE and then steps back, shakes his head and bows it.

 

DORAN  
It would seem I have two blockheads for children, then.

 

ELLARIA steps forward.

 

ELLARIA

Every war between the Reach and Dorne began with either the Daynes or the Oakhearts beginning a fight for killing one another or for control of a mountain.

  
DORAN  
I did not know you were such a student of history.  
  
ELLARIA  
That’s all that history is, the records of war after war.

DORAN nods and waves his hand, and ELLARIA bows her head.  
  
DORAN

It would seem old Maester Meric, fool that he was, left certain things out of the education of my children. It’s that mountain on the border of the Reach and Dorne that’s the source of the issue. That mountain is the beginning of the Tolentine on our side, and a rather important though smaller river for the Oakhearts for the Reach. The two families have been feuding over who owns that rock for centuries because of it, long before Nymeria set sail from Chroyane in her thousand ships and conquered Dorne, and long before Garth Greenhand’s children made the Northern side of the Red Mountains a part of their kingdom. For as long as the history of Dorne and the Reach has been written, the Daynes and the Oakhearts have been at each other’s throats and killing one another over that mountain. And what does my heir do? She has a Dayne and an Oakheart for lovers and has them compete for her affections! Do you know which one is the father? Please tell me you know that at least.

  
ARIANNE

I… do not.

 

ARIANNE looks to the floor.

 

DORAN

Did either man know of your potentially carrying his child?

 

ARIANNE  
Ser Gerold did. He confronted me about it, and I could not lie to him.

 

DORAN

Could not?! You admitted it could have easily have been of Ser Arys’ seed as his?

 

ARIANNE

Yes.

 

DORAN leans back in his throne and sighs.

 

DORAN

Areo, organize a party to find Ser Gerold. He cannot be allowed to reach Starfall. Trystane, you will accompany him. Mayhaps you might learn something, from having to clean up after what messes your sister makes.

  
TRYSTANE bows, as does AREO.  
 

AREO

It shall be done, my Prince.

  
TRYSTANE  
I shall endeavor to make you proud, father.  
 

TRYSTANE and AREO turn and begin to exit the throne room.

 

DORAN

Oh and Areo, be careful crossing the desert, it is extremely dangerous and we wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen… to Trystane I mean.

 

AREO raises his eyebrow in response but nods.

 

ARIANNE

And considering my brother’s safety, would it not be best if Obara joined the party? She is, after all, our cousin and knows the dangers of the western deserts better than any.

  
AREO looks to DORAN. DORAN considers and then nods.

 

AREO

I did not know Obara was so learned a sandsnake, Princess, but I will be sure to ask her.

 

AREO and TRYSTANE EXIT. ARIANNE moves to follow.

 

DORAN

I am not finished speaking with you.  
  
ARIANNE turns back where she stands.  
  
DORAN  
You said you began playing this game because you thought a child would force me to choose the closest available unmarried nobleman your age to marry, did you not?

 

ARIANNE

Yes, and who shall it be?

 

DORAN

Your choices remain as before. Though, I believe Lord Rosby is rather sickly and likely to die, you might not want to choose him. It has never been an issue in Dorne for a Princess of Dorne to have bastard children of her own, especially before she marries—after and the Septons begin to grumble about adultery but before your marriage they are more than willing to turn a blind eye. Princess Loreza had four or five little Sands before she married and had a son. He was well in need of his elder brothers and sisters, given that the Yronwoods rebelled when his uncle poisoned his mother. If it weren’t for them, he might not have kept the throne, and we would not be speaking right now. So, I look forward to my first grandchild, whenever he or she comes into the world, and should anything like what happened to Princess Loreza happen to you, _(he sighs)_ well, I’m sure whatever trueborn children you have by then would be able to rely on this one’s protection.

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

That’s it?

 

DORAN

You expected more?

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

No… of course not. Why should I marry anyone I might fall in love with? That’s the real issue isn’t it?

 

DORAN scowls.

 

ARIANNE

Yes, I see that now. The reason you only give me old men to marry is because you think it impossible that I might fall in love them. Well, you’re right. I won’t deny it. But just because you married for love and mother broke your heart by returning to the city of Norvos is no reason to punish me for your mistakes.

 

DORAN

We are finished with this.

 

ARIANNE

No! We are not, and we never will be with my mother gone. What did you do to chase her away?

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN

She said she loved Norvos more than she loved me, and that was the last thing she ever said to me.

 

ARIANNE

With as much feeling you deign to have for your family? I hardly blame her.

 

DORAN  
Get out.

ARIANNE

You are a cold caustic old man, with a stone where the heart should be.  
  
DORAN stands and then falls, clearly in pain.

ARIANNE turns and EXITS. DORAN stares as she leave.

   
ELLARIA approaches DORAN and helps him back into his throne. They speak as she does so.  
  
ELLARIA  
Daughters are as much a curse from the gods as they are a blessing.  
  
DORAN  
They weren’t for Oberyn and you.  
  
ELLARIA  
Oberyn had more practice than I.  
  
DORAN

How did he ever handle eight when I can hardly control one?

 

ELLARIA

To some extent, my Prince, if I may be so bold, you must accept that they are beyond your control.  
  
Doran gives her a weak smile and adjusts himself in his seat.

 

DORAN

Could you call my man? I’m afraid this throne was never easy to sit in for long, even before the gout.  


ELLARIA nods her head and turns, her smile fades from her face.

 

ELLARIA

(under her breath)

Yes, sitting a throne is never easy when so many lives are in your hands.  


ELLARIA walks towards the camera, which turns to black as her skirt obscures the scene.  
  


 

**EXT. COURTYARD OF SUNSPEAR**

 

OBARA and TYENE are in the midst of practicing their fighting skills with blunt wooden practice weapons. OBARA uses a spear and TYENE uses two daggers.  


TYENE

Why are you twirling? Stab at me already.

  
OBARA stops mid twirl and gets a slicing blow off of TYENE’s arm.

 

OBARA

And now you’ve lost an arm. No matter how many times you try to justify your knives against my spear, it fails to change my mind.

  
TYENE drops one wooden dagger and holds the arm that was hit behind her back and then proceeds to maneuver closer while deflecting OBARA’s spear with her remaining dagger many times until she gets the tip of her wooden dagger pointed right at OBARA’s belly.

 

TYENE

Reach isn’t everything, sweet sister, and I love to get close to people.

  
OBARA scowls.

 

OBARA

Match.

 

TYENE smiles and brings her arm back from behind her and eagerly goes to pick up her dagger, only to see ARIANNE standing there holding it.

 

ARIANNE

I believe you dropped this.

  
TYENE takes the wooden practice dagger and examines it for any damage. OBARA approaches.

OBARA

Come to practice, or watch?

 

ARIANNE  
Neither. I’ve come because I have a favor to ask of you two.

  
TYENE looks up, interested.

OBARA

This better not involve the Fowler twins. Because the last time—

 

ARIANNE

No, no. Nothing like that. Has Areo spoken to you yet?

 

OBARA

No. I’ve been giving this one lessons in fighting all afternoon.

  
TYENE pulls out a rag and begins to clean her wooden daggers. TYENE smirks.

TYENE

Then why did I win more times than you?

 

OBARA glares at TYENE, before tossing her spear at her.

 

OBARA

Clean mine as well while you’re at it. (to ARIANNE) What is Areo going to speak with me about?

ARIANNE

He should ask you to join his party in tracking Ser Gerold Dayne and bringing him back to Sunspear.

 

OBARA looks at ARIANNE. ARIANNE smiles.  
  
ARIANNE  
When my father asked him to organize the party, I suggested you might be of use for my brother’s safety.  
  
OBARA

And what do you actually want me to do?

 

ARIANNE

What if I were to say that joining Areo and my brother would help avenge Oberyn’s death?  
  
BEAT.

 

OBARA

What would I have to do?

 

ARIANNE smiles.

 

ARIANNE

Ser Gerold is expecting me at a hidden cove not far from here that smugglers use as a secret port. I don’t want him to return to Sunspear alive. After that, the longer you can keep Areo and my brother away from Sunspear and in the western desert, the better chance Tyene and I will have of killing Myrcella, and thus your father will be avenged.

 

TYENE stops cleaning the weapon in her hand and looks up at ARIANNE and OBARA. OBARA sees this.

 

OBARA

This one couldn’t kill a fly if she had to.

 

Camera cuts to see ELLARIA approaching the courtyard. She slows her pace as she hears voices.

 

(off camera)  
  
TYENE

I kill flies all the time. It’s princesses I pause at.

 

ARIANNE

And what does your father deserve? His bones lay in the Sept calling for war so loudly that the people in the streets hear it. The quickest way we get war is by killing Myrcella.

 

OBARA

Aye, we kill Myrcella and then gather twenty thousand spears and sack Oldtown.

 

TYENE  
Our father wouldn’t have sacked Oldtown without reason, and to kill the Princess would make us no better than the Mountain.

 

OBARA

And what would you suggest instead?

 

TYENE

I don’t know… abduction, something that doesn’t involve killing her!

 

ELLARIA steps forward and is seen by all three. ARIANNE stares at ELLARIA.

  
ELLARIA  
Why not crown her?

 

OBARA

What?

ELLARIA  
I said, why not crown her?

 

TYENE

Crown her what?

 

ELLARIA

Queen of Westeros, by Dornish Law. (to ARIANNE) That is why you feel so threatened by her isn’t it? That she is young and healthy, and ready to give Trystane plenty of legitimate children who will all be older than what legitimate children you have. And with such a prestigious match for his son, why your father might even set you aside and disregard Dornish law entirely. That is what you fear, isn’t it?  
  
ARIANNE’s face is steel, but her arms cross just underneath her bosom. ELLARIA smiles.  
  
ELLARIA  
I thought so. So why not fight for your own right to rule by fighting for hers? She is after all the eldest living child of King Robert and has been cruelly usurped by her younger brother, surely you can sympathize with her plight. And with Myrcella Queen of Westeros, your brother her Prince consort, why there would be no fear of them or their children aiming for Dorne.

 

ARIANNE

I thought you did not want war?  
  
ELLARIA  
I said I did not want to force a warrior to pursue vengeance for my sake. This is not vengeance, this is _justice_ , and I’m sure you would not find the Queen Dowager completely unwilling to the arrangement. I know she wants her daughter back, but she also wants power. She is the eldest of her brothers, and thus her father’s heir by Dornish law as well, and rightful Lady of the Westerlands. Go to her, bring her daughter back to her, and I’m sure you could easily convince her to establish Dornish law across all Seven Kingdoms, and then it wouldn’t matter what plots your father makes, as all of Westeros would recognize your unquestioned right to inherit.

 

ARIANNE smiles.

 

OBARA

This is foolish, the northerners would never accept Dornish law. They’re too Andal.

 

ARIANNE  
No, it’s perfect.

 

TYENE

It’s exactly what father would have done!

 

OBARA

He would not.

 

ARIANNE

Why help us though?

 

ELLARIA

Succeed, and not a drop of blood need be spilt.

 

OBARA looks furious.

 

TYENE

Oh mami!

 

TYENE hugs ELLARIA.

 

OBARA

(to TYENE) If you think our father would have done as much himself, then you are sorely mistaken. This is not the way of the spear, but the weak and idle weapons of a woman. Our father made that plain to me when he took me from my whore mother. He threw a spear down at my feet and pointed to my weeping mother and then the spear and said choose your weapon. If you go to Queen Cersei, you will cry to her about why Dornish law must be accepted everywhere, and like every other Andal she’ll dismiss you as some Dornishman with a head full of sand. There’s only one way she or any other northerner would accept Dornish law, and that’s at spear point.

 

OBARA grabs her wooden spear and exits.

 

TYENE

She’ll come around to it, when we succeed.

 

ELLARIA and ARIANNE stare after OBARA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter I've taken a large divergence from the books, but I would like to say that in my pursuit of adaptation, I took the ideas found in the books and simply rearranged the furniture or amplified certain ideas that already existed. I hope to say that I've honored the themes within the books, if I could not keep to the exact plot itself. This episode is one of those episodes that requires multiple viewings to understand all the different layers of what's going on. There is a flood of information, yes, but it is dialogue that can not be thrown away so easily for the most part--especially with what I have planned for the future.
> 
> Since the show has everyone three years older, this makes Arianne 29 (at the youngest), and thus her desperation to be married is that much more of an issue at this point in my imagination. The quickest way to communicate this desperation on screen was this idea I had about Arianne trying to force her father to marry her off by getting pregnant. It felt like an interesting way to invert the typical shotgun wedding plot that was overused in past media. I also took the idea that's merely mentioned in passing of the Daynes and the Oakhearts being rival houses and amplified that here by moving the Oakhearts to have lands that border the Daynes in order to make Arianne's plot to get with child all the more dangerous and indicative with how Arianne is reckless and plays with fire.
> 
> Obara and Tyene, while still looking to preserve their father's memory, are not so consumed with the desire for vengeance that they break off living their lives because of it, but they do jump at the first chance to do so, though Tyene has reservations about outright killing Myrcella. This gives much needed nuances to their characters, I hope, and we have the opportunity to see them practicing their skills.
> 
> As for Ellaria, her plot continues to chug along, and I'm afraid that you'll just have to wait and see where that ends up going to keep from spoiling my own story. ;-)


	4. Episode 4: The Sons of the Harpy

** Episode Four: Sons of the Harpy **

  
  
**EXT. A PRIVATE NOOK - COURTYARD OF SUNSPEAR**  
  
In a secluded part of a courtyard, we see TRYSTANE and MYRCELLA together. TRYSTANE is dressed in riding clothes meant for crossing a desert.  
  
TRYSTANE  
I will return soon.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I know. And what of your sister?  
  
TRYSTANE  
What do you mean?  
  
MYRCELLA  
You said she called my grandfather her enemy.  
  
TRYSTANE  
What your grandfather may or may not have done should be of no concern to you. Besides, you are a Baratheon, not a Lannister.  
  
MYRCELLA  
But what if what she says is true? What if he did order the murder of your Aunt?  
  
TRYSTANE  
Then the Father has judged him and the Stranger punished him, and the matter is finished. You do not inherit his faults and wrongs.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Does your sister think that?  
  
TRYSTANE is silent for a moment.  
  
MYRCELLA  
What if his death only clears your Aunt—what if she seeks to avenge her children as well?  
  
TRYSTANE  
She can’t truly believe that—else we should be cursed as a house for the death of many a Tyrell.  
  
MYRCELLA  
How can you be so sure of what she believes?  
  
TRYSTANE  
She is my sister.  
  
MYRCELLA  
But you were fostered to the Yronwoods until your elder brother died, and that didn’t happen until I was here for a year. How can you truly know your sister when you haven’t lived with her for nearly ten namedays?  
  
TRYSTANE  
Instead of worrying about what she might do, think of it this way, what can she actually do?  
  
MYRCELLA  
How is that any different a question?  
  
TRYSTANE  
What resources does she have available to her? Ser Gerold was the only knight sworn to her and he has fled.  
  
MYRCELLA  
She could try to poison me.  
  
TRYSTANE  
Maester Myles keeps any poison locked in his tower, she would have to break his lock in order to achieve that, and my father would know the instant after the maester knew. Besides, Martells are not murderers. We kill, but we only do so on the battlefield or with due cause.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I wish I had your faith. All I have are doubts.  
  
TRYSTANE  
Then I will rekindle your faith by returning and seeing you safe. (he kisses her) But, if you are so worried about your safety, why not look to my cousin Tyene? She should protect you should you ask. Surely, my sister wouldn’t dream of doing anything with her about you.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Do you trust her?  
  
TRYSTANE  
She is Ellaria’s eldest daughter, and is as kind and protective as her mother.  
  
MYRCELLA  
All right, I will then.  
  
TRYSTANE  
Good. (BEAT. TRYSTANE takes to his knee) Will you give me your favor, my Princess? So that I may fight in your honor?  
  
MYRCELLA resists laughing at first before breaking into a smile. TRYSTANE smiles. MYRCELLA takes the end of her shawl and rips off a piece of it into a strip.  
  
MYRCELLA  
(teasingly) Oh, good knight, I charge you in the name of the Old Gods and the New that wheresoever you wear this favor of mine, that you may think of me and be brave, true, and honorable.  
  
MYRCELLA ties the favor onto TRYSTANE’S right arm, right above the elbow.  
  
TRYSTANE  
I shall wear this, in your honor, and mine own.  
  
TRYSTANE rises and they kiss. He then departs, leaving MYRCELLA standing there. She looks after him smiling, but as he gets further away, her smile fades and she draws her shawl tighter about herself, as though suddenly chilled.  
  
  
  
**EXT. COURTYARD OF SUNSPEAR**  
  
We see AREO and several guards prepared to depart on horseback. OBARA is seen at a distance finishing preparations such as tying the saddlebag to the saddle, TYENE assisting her tie them down, they speak in hushed tones.  
  
TYENE  
You’ll keep them busy, won’t you?  
  
OBARA  
I said I would, and I keep my word. I don’t change my mind depending upon which way the wind blows.  
  
TYENE  
I haven’t changed my mind. I was against murder from the first.  
  
OBARA  
And that’s why our father’s bones will never have the vengeance they deserve, because of daughters too weak to take a stand and say no more. No more will Dorne be made to suffer insults and murder.  
  
TYENE  
When Myrcella sits the Iron Throne with Trystane at her side, it won’t.  
  
OBARA scoffs, and TYENE looks up and sees TRYSTANE leaving the nook and approaching the main part of the courtyard. TRYSTANE appears and TYENE moves to match his stride. TRYSTANE is obviously walking towards his horse.  
  
TYENE  
She accepted?  
  
TRYSTANE  
Of course. You will protect her, in case anything should happen with the crowds, won’t you?  
  
TYENE  
What would happen with the crowds? Your father has started patrols through the streets and cleared out any remaining rebels, I would hardly think they’d be of any concern.  
  
TRYSTANE  
But in case someone gets it into their head that hurting her will avenge my Uncle, you will protect her, won’t you?  
  
TYENE  
Would I lie to family?  
  
TRYSTANE stares at TYENE for a moment, before shaking his head.  
  
TRYSTANE  
No, I don’t think you would.  
  
TRYSTANE mounts his horse. MYRCELLA comes out of the nook, all smiles. The camera cuts to see AREO, OBARA, and TRYSTANE have all mounted their horses and along with an additional KNIGHT, AREO signals for the gate to be opened, and they depart. MYRCELLA waves until TRYSTANE is about to cross the threshold, at which point she impulsively runs up to his side. TRYSTANE stops his horse, leans down and they share a brief but tender kiss before he departs and finishes leaving the castle. TYENE approaches MYRCELLA.  
  
TYENE  
Don’t cry Princess, he will return in a fortnight at most.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I’m not crying, but for some reason, I feel as though I’ll never see him again. I don’t know how to explain it, but I just know.  
  
TYENE  
Mayhaps you have the gift of the gods?  
  
MYRCELLA looks at TYENE, and shakes her head.  
  
TYENE  
Have you ever learned about poisons?  
  
MYRCELLA’S eyes widen.  
  
TYENE  
My father taught me many things about them and their antidotes, would you like to learn about them?  
  
MYRCELLA  
Some other time mayhaps.  
  
TYENE grabs MYRCELLA’s arm and leans in close to speak barely above a whisper.  
  
TYENE  
I do not offer these lessons lightly. I fear you have much to worry about concerning your soon to be goodsister.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Why tell me?  
  
TYENE  
Because Trystane told me to keep you safe, unless of course you don’t want my protection.  
  
MYRCELLA  
No, I… I do.  
  
TYENE smiles and she takes MYRCELLA’s hand and leads her off.  
  
  
  
**INT. SUNSPEAR - MAESTER MYLES’ CHAMBERS**  
  
TYENE  
These gems, aren’t they pretty?  
  
MYRCELLA  
The lilac ones? Aye.  
  
TYENE  
That is their deception. While they are in solid form they are fairly harmless and pretty to admire. However, drop one of these into a glass of wine, and it will dissolve and mix with the wine fairly quickly. It’ll then constrict the throat. The victim begins to have trouble breathing, some even turn purple in the face, and then they die.  
  
MYRCELLA  
That’s how Joffrey died… (BEAT) that’s the Strangler, right?  
  
TYENE  
Yes.  
  
MYRCELLA  
What’s that small clear one?  
  
TYENE walks over and picks up a vial of clear liquid.  
  
TYENE  
This? This is the Tears of Lys. The alchemists of Lys are the only ones who know how to make it. It’s very expensive and very effective. It’s odorless, tasteless, and leaves no trace of its presence. It slowly eats away at the bowels from the inside.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Eats away at the bowels, meaning?  
  
TYENE  
It’ll appear as though the person suffers from some disease to the bowels, like the bloody flux. Belly pains, fever, loose and bloody stools that smell fouler than normal, and all manner of disgusting things.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Old Lord Arryn had a sickness like that, but it was just a sickness. (BEAT) Why do you have that vial around your neck?  
  
TYENE holds out the vial on a necklace.  
  
TYENE  
This? This is an antidote to a poison I use to coat my knives with. I keep the vial in case I should slip while using the poison. I wouldn’t want to have to rush back here and have to search through all of Maester Myles’ stores for it when I need it.  
  
MYRCELLA  
What is it the antidote to?  
  
TYENE  
My favorite poison, it’s from Asshai by the Shadow. It’s called The Long Farewell. A single drop makes contact with skin can kill a man in a day’s time that is unless the antidote is taken. It’s important to drink the antidote as soon as you start to notice symptoms of being poisoned by this. You’d grow dizzy at first, your vision would blur, and your stomach begin to feel nauseous, symptoms easily dismissible as nothing to those not paying attention. The poison may take a while to work, but the point where there’s no turning back is when you begin to bleed from your nose. At that point you are as good as dead, even if you drink the antidote.  
  
ENTER MAESTER MYLES through the door. MAESTER MYLES is a recent graduate of the Citadel, not to mention very young to have completed his chain. He should be about his mid-twenties and have a small but choker for a chain around his neck.  
  
MYLES  
Tyene, I thought that we agreed—  
  
MAESTER MYLES stops and freezes the moment he sees MYRCELLA in the room.  
  
MYLES  
Prin—(voice cracks)—cess! (coughs) I did not expect to find you up here with Tyene.  
  
TYENE  
I was simply teaching her about certain poisons, and their antidotes, for her protection.  
  
MYLES  
Indeed… protection from whom? Prince Doran would never  
  
MYRCELLA looks to TYENE.  
  
TYENE  
From my father’s sellsword company, wouldn’t you say, Maester?  
  
MYRCELLA  
Sellswords?!  
  
MYLES  
Considering my position in your uncle’s household, I am not at liberty to speculate into these matters.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Why should I fear poison from sellswords?  
  
TYENE  
Who do you think taught me how to coat my daggers with poison in the first place? My father taught that to every man who fought for him.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Aye, but what’s the difference between death by sword and death by poisoned sword? In either case, I end up dead by stabbing first and foremost. What should it matter if the blade is poisoned?  
  
MYLES  
I do not think we should be discussing—  
  
MYRCELLA raises her hand to silence him.  
  
MYRCELLA  
No, maester. Ever since Ser Arys died, I’ve known that I am in danger of dying myself. I would rather discuss it at any length than simply be told to not think on it.  
  
TYENE  
My father’s sellswords were the ones organizing the protests in the streets. They want to use their talents as much as any sellsword company. And since my father has died, no one is paying them gold anymore. However they could replace that income by starting a war and selling their swords to whichever side pays them the most. And the easiest way to start a war is  
  
MYRCELLA  
By killing me. But you didn’t answer my question.  
  
TYENE  
If I were to guess, I would say they had hoped the protests would be enough to storm the castle and kill you outright, but my uncle’s guards remained loyal to a fault. Given that they cannot kill you by the sword, they must then turn to the other means which they have at their hands.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I see now. And these poisons?  
  
TYENE  
Their favorites that they tend to coat their weapons with.  
  
MYLES  
It is an interesting theory, but I fear it’s all just idle speculation. If they could not get in through force, how could they enter otherwise to poison the Princess?  
  
TYENE  
Wills have triumphed over tasks far more difficult than that.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I think I would like to walk out in the courtyard for a time.  
  
TYENE  
Of course, I shall accompany you.  
  
MYRCELLA rises and EXITS. TYENE moves to follow, but MYLES catches TYENE by the elbow before she does.  
  
MYLES  
I thought we said that you wouldn’t tell a soul that I gave you the third key.  
  
TYENE  
Worry not, I said I had borrowed the steward’s.  
  
MYLES  
And she believed you?  
  
TYENE smiles. MYLES sighs. TYENE moves closer.  
  
TYENE  
I would not dare give up on our lessons, Myles, I mean, Maester.  
  
MYLES  
You shall be the ruin of me, I know it, and yet…  
  
TYENE smirks.  
  
TYENE  
When I remember what trouble I have been for you, I cannot help but feel grateful for our lessons…  
  
MYLES  
Gods…  
  
TYENE moves closer, as if to kiss, but instead playfully moves away the next instant and departs, leaving Maester MYLES alone.  
  
  
  
**EXT. A PRIVATE NOOK - COURTYARD OF SUNSPEAR**  
  
MYRCELLA and TYENE enter the private nook and take a seat upon a bench. Unseen by MYRCELLA, ARIANNE is hidden behind a tall shrub. TYENE looks around the nook.  
  
MYRCELLA  
If these sellswords listened to your father, and you’ve spent time with them yourself, couldn’t you—  
  
TYENE  
No, my princess. Their swords are set on war and gold.  
  
MYRCELLA  
And they’ll stop at nothing to kill me?  
  
TYENE  
That’s why you need to be on your guard, lest you be taken unawares.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Why are you looking around like that?  
  
TYENE  
There is someone who wants to speak with you, who would otherwise be concerned about what those sellswords’ men might see.  
  
MYRCELLA  
See what?  
  
ARIANNE steps out from behind the shrub.  
  
ARIANNE  
See us talk. (to TYENE) Either I have gotten better at hiding, or your eyes are getting hazy with age.  
  
MYRCELLA stares at ARIANNE.  
  
ARIANNE  
Oh, be not so sullen, goodsister. I’ve been wanting to speak with you for some time, Tyene only helped arrange things.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Why call me goodsister to my face, and the granddaughter of your enemy when I am away?  
  
ARIANNE  
We are soon to be goodsisters are we not? That good fortune however does not change who your grandsire was.  
  
MYRCELLA  
That’s it then? You’re only a truth teller?  
  
ARIANNE  
Yes, and here is another truth, it doesn’t change who your grandmother was. Our grandmothers were friends you know, before the Rebellion. They waited on poor Queen Rhaella together. To honor their friendship, I’d be willing to overlook your grandsire’s faults since the Seven have made him pay for them, if you could overlook mine own.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Why?  
  
ARIANNE  
Because your life will depend upon whether you trust me or not. We are not enemies, and I would sooner see you returned safely to your mother than to discover one morning your dead body laying inexplicably in your bed.  
  
MYRCELLA  
My mother? What about my mother?  
  
TYENE  
My mother returned from the capital with news of your mother. She misses you terribly, and would do anything to have you home again.  
  
MYRCELLA  
I would love to return to King’s Landing and see her again… but what of Dorne? What of the alliance, what of your father?  
  
ARIANNE  
My father is a trusting old fool, and Areo was the only man able to keep the guards in check, and now he’s gone.  
  
MYRCELLA  
But Tyene said the guards—  
  
TYENE  
What was I to say of the guards in front of Maester Myles?  
  
MYRCELLA  
What would he matter?  
  
TYENE and ARIANNE share a brief look between each other.  
  
TYENE  
One of his brothers is part of the sellsword company. A maester is supposed to forget one’s family at the Citadel, but Maester Myles hasn’t. He’s young, idealistic, and would do anything for his brothers…  
  
ARIANNE  
Including lie to my father.  
  
TYENE  
And kill Ser Arys.  
  
ARIANNE  
Think of it, who told my father that Ser Arys’ death wasn’t by poison?  
  
TYENE  
And yet he has vials and vials of untraceable poisons, as you saw.  
  
MYRCELLA stands.  
  
MYRCELLA  
This is happening to fast.  
  
TYENE  
It’s the same strategy I use in my fighting, hit them hard and hit them quick, and they won’t have time to react.  
  
MYRCELLA  
It’s madness.  
  
ARIANNE  
Exactly, which is why it is important that we get you as far from Sunspear as soon as we can, and return you to your mother.  
  
MYRCELLA  
What of Trystane? He’ll return and expect me here.  
  
ARIANNE  
Do you doubt his love for you?  
  
MYRCELLA  
No, but—  
  
ARIANNE  
If you do not doubt, then surely he would follow after you, wherever you would go.  
  
BEAT.  
  
MYRCELLA  
All right, I’ll go.  
  
ARIANNE smiles, and the music swells.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a lot of tweaking here of moving parts, but the entire aim was to show how Myrcella was persuaded to go along with Arianne and Tyene, given that she's far older and that the promise of a crown might not immediately tempt her like it did in the book as we're told. Concerning Myrcella and Trystane, I tried to convey the idea that while they are "in love" with one another, there's more to their relationship than just being in love and worrying, as they can tease and jape with one another as well.
> 
> Young Maester Myles is based on the youngish man they hired for Season Six to be a maester (and who promptly gets killed before he can escape the Sandsnakes). It's also me playing around with what a younger maester might be like as a dynamic for the show, especially with a gaggle of young girls around him. While I leave it up to you good folks to imagine all the details of Myles' relationship with Tyene, I'll be frank that beyond this bit of flirting (which is an obscure literary reference) I don't imagine Tyene going much farther beyond some kissing.


	5. Episode 5: Kill the Boy

** Episode Five: Kill the Boy **

 

 

 **EXT. SHANDYSTONE – A RUINED CASTLE ON THE EDGE OF THE DESERT**  


We see TRYSTANE, AREO and OBARA riding across the edge of the desert. They are fast approaching what looks like a deserted ruin. OBARA is in the lead, with TRYSTANE and AREO following behind. They slow as they reach the gatehouse, an old and crumbling ruin of its former self. TRYSTANE looks up to see sigil carved into the stone above the gatehouse of a cup full of lemons overflowing.

  
TRYSTANE

What ancient house settled here?

 

AREO

Don’t ask me. I know nothing of the history of Dorne beyond Sunspear and the Water Gardens.

 

TRYSTANE looks at AREO disbelievingly. OBARA, shouts back to them.

 

OBARA

Shandystone is not as old as that! It was built by House Shandy about the time Aegon and his sister-wives conquered the northerners. They built it around an important well that travelers used to stop at. About a century ago they abandoned the castle when the well ran dry. Whatever Shandys remained split off and married into different houses, died as sworn knights to other Dornish lords, or became little better than smallfolk.

 

BEAT. The camera pans around to show the courtyard of a deserted and ruined castle in the midst of being buried by the sands, with only half chipped away walls and pillars poking out of the sands at odd places. OBARA rides on further into the center of the courtyard, while TRYSTANE and AREO remain at the gatehouse.

 

TRYSTANE

It seems so desolate…

 

AREO grunts.

 

TRYSTANE

I had thought that you were… that is, I had assumed—

 

AREO

That I was Dornish? No, not I. I came from Norvos with Lady Mellario. When Prince Doran chose her to be his bride, her parents examined every axe sworn to the Bearded priests, but only mine was deemed satisfactory to protect and guard my Lady.

 

AREO and TRYSTANE urge their horses on.

 

TRYSTANE

You knew my mother well?

 

AREO

I came with Lady Mellario from Norvos. Her princely husband wasn’t able to speak the Norvosi tongue as easily as she liked, and she barely knew a word of the Common Tongue, so on that voyage across the Narrow Sea, she and I spoke about any and all things, as long as it was in Norvosi.

 

TRYSTANE

So she truly loved Norvos?

 

AREO

Aye, my lady was always partial to the city of her birth, and while the Prince could turn her head, her heart always belonged to the wooded hills of Norvos.

 

TRYSTANE

Is Norvos that beautiful?

 

AREO

Aye…

 

AREO smiles fondly.

 

TRYSTANE

When my mother left for Norvos, why didn’t you return with her?

 

AREO’s smile fades from his face. AREO remains silent for a long moment.

 

AREO

Before she left, she begged of me one last favor—one that I could not refuse.

 

TRYSTANE

What favor?

 

AREO

That I stay and protect her children, to watch over them when she could not.  


TRYSTANE

Your loyalty will no doubt be rewarded more than my father does, when my sister takes the throne. And if she fails to do so, I will ensure it.

 

AREO grows silent and looks away. By this point they have caught up to where OBARA has dismounted and tied up her horse. TRYSTANE dismounts his horse and ties his horse up as well.

 

AREO

Why don’t you and Obara look for any wood that may be left here while I set up our tents. I would prefer to save what coals and wood we brought for the desert if at all possible.

 

TRYSTANE and OBARA look at one another.

 

Camera cuts to the entrance to a nearly collapsed tower. We see OBARA and TRYSTANE enter it.

 

 

**INT. RUINED TOWER AT SHANDYSTONE**

 

OBARA  
This is a fruitless task.

 

TRYSTANE

Mayhaps there might be some abandoned table or piece of furniture in here.

 

OBARA

If there was, it was either sold, stolen, or burned long ago. Nym and I would have found it long before now.

 

TRYSTANE

How do you know?

 

OBARA

My father would bring me, Nym, Sarella, and your sister here sometimes. He’d tell us stories of Rhoynish heroes of old, like Garin the Great and his defiance of the Valyrian dragonlords, or Queen Nymeria and her thousand ships. We’d train, we’d laugh… it was a better time.

 

OBARA gives a small smile. TRYSTANE stops a few paces behind OBARA and points down a hall they had passed.

 

TRYSTANE

Doorframe.

 

OBARA

What?

 

TRYSTANE

There’s a doorframe we could use.

 

OBARA and TRYSTANE approach a doorway leading to a room full of rubble. In the stone doorway is a wooden frame that is missing its door. The doorframe is old, weather beaten. TRYSTANE sits on his haunches and notices some marks on the frame and rubs his hands over them.

 

TRYSTANE

It looks like others have tried and failed before us.

 

OBARA picks up two rocks roughly the size of her hands and gives one to TRYSTANE.

 

OBARA

You hit that side out, and I’ll hit this side in, and that should bring the frame down.

 

TRYSTANE nods, takes the rock and steps through the doorway and gets a good stance before taking a hit on the doorframe.

 

TRYSTANE

So, is that how you knew all about Shandystone, then?

 

OBARA

What? Oh, you mean—yes, my father talked all about this castle. He was the best of all fathers I could have had. And he… _(a single tear runs down her cheek, which she promptly wipes away with the back of her hand)_ , he threw his life away for what? The son of our enemy.

 

TRYSTANE stops, and sighs. OBARA pounds on her side a few times, followed by TRYSTANE.

 

OBARA

It’s true. Of what value was Tyrion Lannister to Oberyn Martell? What kind of trade was that that the Gods made? A twisted demented little kingslayer for the noblest man in all of Westeros.

 

TRYSTANE snorts. OBARA stops pounding.

 

OBARA

You think differently?  


TRYSTANE stops pounding.

 

TRYSTANE

I think… he wasn’t thinking.

 

TRYSTANE takes another pound on the door frame, and then OBARA takes over.

 

TRYSTANE

And it wouldn’t be for the first time.

 

OBARA stops pounding and looks up and stares at TRYSTANE who has started pounding again.

 

OBARA

What is that supposed to mean?

 

TRYSTANE

You know why he was called the Red Viper, right?

 

OBARA

Do I know it? All of Dorne knows that tale. I was told that tale, before you were even born! What a question to ask.

 

OBARA resumes pounding, harder.

 

TRYSTANE

The tale of how he killed Old Lord Yronwood.

 

OBARA stops pounding.

 

OBARA

He fought Old Lord Yronwood in a duel that the old man demanded himself, and it was only to first blood.

 

TRYSTANE

Yes, but Old Lord Yronwood died from the scratch he gave him.

 

OBARA

That is the fault of the maester, not the spear.

 

OBARA resumes pounding.

 

TRYSTANE

Or poison.

 

OBARA stops pounding.

 

OBARA

Considering he did not even go to the Citadel or Oldtown before being fostered to Old Lord Yronwood, he would not have known a thing about poison. That is one thing the storytellers all get wrong in the telling.

 

TRYSTANE

Either way, your father stoked the anger that House Yronwood had with House Martell, sleeping with Old Lord Yronwood’s paramour.

 

OBARA

Are you my cousin, or some lookalike that the Yronwoods sent in his place? What he told me, was Old Lord Yronwood’s paramour found him to be a “pretty boy” that she had to taste. Do you have a point to all of this?

 

TRYSTANE speaks as he pounds.

 

TRYSTANE

Aye, the point is that your father had to be spirited away out of Dorne rather quickly after Old Lord Yronwood died. Why? Because he too foolish to keep his cock in his pants long enough to reconsider that it might not be a good idea to sleep with Lord Yronwood’s paramour. And afterwards he was shuffled away from Dorne, leaving others to have to pay for his own mistakes! He never had to think about what his actions would cost others at all in his life. He threw his life away without once thinking what it would do to you, just like he killed Old Lord Yronwood without thinking what it would mean for me.

 

The doorframe is broken loose and falls to the ground in pieces. OBARA stands there, staring at TRYSTANE through the disturbed dust floating in the air.

 

OBARA

 _(eerily calm)_ If you are fool enough to insult my father like that again, cousin or no, I will kill you.

 

TRYSTANE

And be cursed a kinslayer?

 

OBARA

No kith or kin of mine would dare insult Oberyn Martell.

 

OBARA throws the rock through the doorway and against the wall of the room hard. OBARA turns and exits. TRYSTANE is left to pick up the pieces of the fracture doorframe.

 

 

**INT. A TENT IN SHANDYSTONE’S RUINED COURTYARD**

 

We see TRYSTANE and AREO laying in two cots in the dark. AREO is heard snoring, while TRYSTANE lays on his back, wide awake. Outside the tent we hear a horse whinny. TRYSTANE rolls over and lifts the side flap of the tent a bit to peer out.

 

CAMERA cuts to TRYSTANE’s view and we see OBARA hushing her horse as she quietly leads it toward the ruined gatehouse at the entrance to the courtyard.

 

CAMERA cuts back to the interior of the tent as TRYSTANE drops the flap and swings his feet over the side of the cot to slip into his boots.

 

 

**EXT. SHANDYSTONE’S RUINED COURTYARD**

 

We see OBARA mounting her horse at the gatehouse, with two tents seen in the distance. TRYSTANE is seen coming out of a tent as OBARA kicks the side of her horse and rides towards the camera, which fades to black as the horse obscures the view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was, when I originally imagined it many months ago, a conversation between Arianne and Trystane in Sunspear, ending with the point that Trystane resents Oberyn and his rash and impetuous actions for the things it has cost him in his life--largely at this point to have to be fostered with the Yronwoods in the first place.
> 
> However, as I was developing Dorne with Arianne in general I discovered that I wanted to try and have the Areo and Obara ride off to chase Ser Gerold Dayne at some point. And figuring Trystane was older in the show version, he'd likely be ideal to come along as well. As such, when Trystane didn't make this point about Oberyn when first confronting Arianne (it just didn't feel right in Episode 2) I saved this idea for a conversation that ended on that bullet point for this episode as a way to explore how differently the legacy of Oberyn has affected the wider Martell family. Here Obara has now begun to canonize him to some degree, while Trystane still resents his uncle to some degree. It felt like a great way to instead explore Obara and Trystane and develop their characters a bit, so I took the opportunity and ran with it.


	6. Episode Six: Unbowed, Unbet, and Unbroken

** Episode Six: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken **

 

 

 **EXT. A ROAD ACROSS AN ARID LANDSCAPE**  
  
We open the episode seeing TRYSTANE and AREO riding hard across a desolate and dry land at night. They come to a stop when they see the twinkle of a fire up ahead in the distance and just to the side of the road where a clump of bushes and a few trees grow next to a pond. AREO signals for TRYSTANE to halt.  
  
AREO  
There, she's likely there, or she passed by and they'll confirm we're still on the right path. Let's be slow to approach, she may be among them, we don't want the dust from the road to give us away.  
  
  
**EXT. CAMPFIRE BY THE ROAD**  
  
We see OBARA cooing at her horse as she allows it to drink from the nearby pond. She then approaches the campfire where four other men, sellswords (BRUS, COLLIF, LAZAR, and HORYS), are seated. HORYS has a harp that he casually strums a song (THE DORNISHMAN’S WIFE) to. BRUS adds a log and squats dangerously close to as he makes sure it catches fire. COLLIF is sharpening a sword. As OBARA approaches, LAZAR gets up.  
  
LAZAR  
Of course when she finally does arrive, I have to take a shit.  
  
COLLIF  
Don't squeeze too hard this time, we don't want to see a bloody dawn.  
  
BRUS laughs. LAZAR exits into the bushes, not completely disappearing from view as he squats down hidden among the bushes.  
  
Camera cuts to the road, where we see TRYSTANE and AREO quietly leave their horses and sneak into the far side of the bushes away from LAZAR.  
  
OBARA  
I didn't ask you here to laugh away your time.  
  
HORYS  
(while playing)  
Your letter didn't say what we were to be discussing, and you took longer than you said you'd be. The moon reached its apex over an hour ago.  
  
BRUS  
We came for the respect we owe your late father.  
  
COLLIF  
And to see what price you'd be willing to pay us.  
  
LAZAR  
And speak the fuck up!.  
  
OBARA  
To the point then. My cousin plans on stealing the Princess Myrcella out of Sunspear and journeying over the Red Mountains into the Stormlands and on to King's Landing. She hopes to convince the Queen Dowager to make Dornish law the law of the land--a foolish plan from beginning to end.  
  
CAMERA cuts to TRYSTANE who instinctively moves, but AREO stops him.  
  
BRUS  
And you want us to...  
  
OBARA  
They'll be travelling through the Red Mountains alone and unguarded--the perfect opportunity to strike and kill the northern Princess.  
  
HORYS stops playing.  
  
HORYS  
You want to drag the entire company through the mountains of Dorne just to kill one little girl?  
  
OBARA  
It doesn't have to be the entire company. I'd just need a few men to take whatever foolish knights my cousin seduces to her cause.  
  
LAZAR  
We don't do the small shit!  
  
COLLIF  
Speak for yourself!  
  
BRUS laughs.  
  
HORYS  
What Lazar was trying to say is we don't break the company up unless a fighter ends his contract. It makes it harder for a sword to meet what debts he owes the company if he were to break away from the group, or he might die and we wouldn't know and what armor he has would go to waste, and so on. You contract one of us, you contract all of us.  
  
OBARA

You won’t break up the company, and yet you four are here. Do you want to fight in a war before the year is out, or not?  
  
COLLIF  
There's a war brewing across the Narrow Sea. Volantis is gathering sellswords to liberate Yunkai and Astapor from the chokehold of the Dragon Queen, and then lay her chosen city of Meereen to waste. The elephants of Volantis are willing to pay for it ever since she smashed the slave trade, when the Elephants are funding a war, it isn’t a question of if anymore.  
  
OBARA  
Aye, but that is across the Narrow Sea, which would require you to transport your men, buy provisions, hire sellsails, and so on. A hefty price to sail for a war.  
  
HORYS  
It's the life of a sellsword. We go where the fight is.  
  
COLLIF  
And where we get paid.  
  
OBARA  
(takes a bag from her waist and tosses it to COLLIF, who catches it)  
You will be paid, here in Dorne. My uncle will have need of you when King's Landing receives Myrcella's head in a box.

 

COLLIF takes out a coin and takes a bite into it. He then smiles and nods to HORYS and BRUS.  
  
BRUS  
All we have to do is help you kill this little girl and her guards?  
  
OBARA  
And another knight before we leave, Ser Gerold Dayne.

  
COLLIF  
You didn’t say anything about a Dayne while negotiating terms. Besides, this is a piddling amount for such a kill, even the Facelessmen price a Princess higher than this.

 

OBARA  
(signaling to the gold)  
That’s just a taster. There’s more where that came from.

 

HORYS  
You have access to so much gold?

 

OBARA  
Aye. And you won’t get it unless you do as I say.

 

BEAT.

 

BRUS  
That’ll be my sword through your bowels if you’re lying to us.

HORYS  
Why do you want us to kill this Dayne knight?

 

OBARA smiles.

 

OBARA  
My uncle is last known to have sent men to search for him. Should he reappear, dead without explanation, it would create a rift between the Daynes and Sunspear, keep him occupied and unable to send any forces after your sellsword company when he hears that they are on the move in a time of peace.

 

LAZAR  
And where would our company be going?

 

OBARA  
To sack Oldtown.

 

COLLIF bursts out laughing, followed shortly by LAZAR and BRUS. HORYS keeps his eyes on OBARA. OBARA grows angry and walks off from the fire. From the darkness where OBARA walked off a spear is thrown that hits and runs right through the neck of COLLIF, killing him.

 

Camera cuts to TRYSTANE and AREO. TRYSTANE looks on wide-eyed and shocked. AREO looks back to their horses.

 

Camera cuts back to the campfire.

 

LAZAR  
Bloody hell!

 

BRUS quickly unsheathes his sword as OBARA approaches back to the fire, a dagger in hand. They circle for a moment.

 

HORYS  
Stop.  

 

BRUS eases out of his stance.

 

LAZAR  
You’ve passed the test.

 

BRUS sheathes his sword. OBARA looks confused. LAZAR stands up, fumbling with his belt.

 

HORYS  
What he means is, we had to know, and now we do.

 

OBARA  
Know what?

 

BRUS  
If you were truly your father’s daughter.

 

HORYS  
And you are. (HORYS picks up the bag of gold that fell from COLLIF’s dead body) Keep your gold for now.

 

HORYS tosses the bag. OBARA catches it.

 

LAZAR  
The only question I have is who the fuck are the two in the bushes?

 

Camera cuts back to AREO and TRYSTANE. They hurry up and rush towards their horses. AREO turns towards the campfire as we hear swords unsheathing and footsteps approaching.

 

AREO  
(shouting back to TRYSTANE)  
Go, ride east, and don’t stop.

 

TRYSTANE  
You—

 

AREO  
Don’t worry about me. Get on that horse and ride!

 

TRYSTANE mounts and starts to ride off. OBARA throws her spear at his horse, but misses the moving target as TRYSTANE runs off the road and into the desolate landscape. AREO is engaged in battle by the three sellswords. They fight, AREO proves himself quite capable with his long axe, but is unable to keep them busy for long. He is eventually brought down by a slice to his calf which brings him down to his knees.

 

OBARA then approaches.

 

OBARA  
You followed me? That was a stupid thing to do. Any final words?

 

AREO  
Kill me and be done with it.

 

OBARA  
You heard the man.

 

BRUS stabs AREO through with his sword.

 

 

**INT. SUNSPEAR – MYRCELLA’S CHAMBERS**

 

We see MYRCELLA standing unlike how we’ve ever seen her before, dressed as TYENE would in leathers and form fitting clothes. She looks at herself in the mirror and then behind her at her pretty silk dress before looking once again at her reflection and a slight smile appearing on her face. She then hurries over to a table and picks up a small dagger, and attaches it to the belt around her waist. Her smile broadens when she looks back in the mirror.

 

MYRCELLA is startled when she hears a knock at her door before looking back to the mirror, and then walks over to the door and opens it to see TYENE standing there over an unconscious guard. She has a bandana on over her mouth. As MYRCELLA opens the door, a bit of a black fog enters the room from the hall and causes MYRCELLA to cough a bit before TYENE puts a bandana over MYRCELLA’s mouth.

 

MYRCELLA  
You didn’t kill him, did you?

 

TYENE shakes her head.

 

TYENE  
Don’t breathe too deeply, or you won’t wake up too long after him.

 

MYRCELLA ties the bandana over her nose and mouth, and the two exit the room.

 

 

**EXT. SUNSPEAR – COURTYARD**

 

In the dark of the night we see MYRCELLA and TYENE hurry across the courtyard to arrive at the stable, in front of which stands ARIANNE with four horses.

 

MYRCELLA  
Who is the fourth for?

 

TYENE  
My mother.

 

ARIANNE  
Speaking of her, where is she?

 

TYENE  
Hasn’t she handled the guards at the gatehouse yet?

 

ARIANNE  
How would I know? I’ve been here preparing the horses and provisions.

 

MYRCELLA  
No other guards, or knights?

 

ARIANNE  
None from here. They’re all loyal to my father before me. No, we’re going to get a company’s worth of protection.

 

ARIANNE pats a sack of gold at her waist.

 

MYRCELLA  
There’s not a lot of provisions here.

 

TYENE  
We’ve arranged to pick up more once we’re out of the city.

 

ARIANNE  
If we can get out of the castle first.

 

At that moment ELLARIA steps out of the shadows, appearing before the group.

 

ELLARIA  
The guards are ready.

 

ARIANNE  
Finally.

 

The four mount their horses and walk their horses towards the gatehouse. They approach the gatehouse but see in the pale moonlight that the portcullis is still down.

 

ARIANNE looks to TYENE and nods, TYENE dismounts and moves to open the portcullis, but is grabbed and pulled into the shadows instead.  
  
The camera cuts to the shadows to see Tyene being held tightly with a hand placed firmly and tightly over where her mouth would be under the bandana. She is being held by Maester MYLES. TYENE fights against his grip.

 

Camera cuts back to ARIANNE.

 

ARIANNE  
Tyene? (pause) Tyene!

 

ELLARIA rides up to ARIANNE.

 

ELLARIA  
Do not strain your voice, Princess, it’s over.

 

ARIANNE  
What’s over.

 

ELLARIA whistles, and the guards appear from the shadows, all surrounding ARIANNE, MYRCELLA, and ELLARIA.

 

ARIANNE  
You betrayed me to my father!

 

ELLARIA  
It will be a lot easier for you, if you dismount now, Princess.

 

ARIANNE  
Why, dear gods, did I trust you?

 

ELLARIA  
Dismount.

 

The guards approach, some with long axes pointed straight at her.

 

ARIANNE  
I am the heir to the Dornish throne—she is the bastard daughter of a petty Lord—do you all dare defy the future of Dorne?

 

ELLARIA  
You most of all should know that the future is yet to be written. Dismount.

 

ARIANNE glares at ELLARIA, but then complies. Once dismounted a few guards approach and begin to grab at her arms.

 

ARIANNE  
You don’t have to drag me anywhere. Where is there to run when the portcullis is down?

 

ARIANNE then takes a step closer to the still mounted ELLARIA.

 

ARIANNE  
When I inherit my throne, you and all your children will be banished from setting foot in Dorne—let alone Sunspear. And should you set foot in Dorne again, I will have your heads.

 

ELLARIA  
Even Tyene?

 

ARIANNE scoffs.

 

ARIANNE  
You mean, your catspaw?

 

Camera cuts to TYENE and MYLES still in the shadows. TYENE has stopped fighting and instead stands still, her eyes wide.

 

ARIANNE  
You will pay when I inherit.

 

ELLARIA  
If you inherit. Guards, obey your Prince’s commands.

 

ARIANNE's eyes widen before she is roughly escorted by the guards out of the scene. ELLARIA then rides to be alongside MYRCELLA.

 

ELLARIA  
Dismount Princess. I shall return your horse to the stables.

 

MYRCELLA  
Am I to be locked away?

 

ELLARIA  
No, we do not hurt little girls in Dorne.

 

MYRCELLA laughs sadly before looking up at ELLARIA.

 

MYRCELLA  
Please stop lying to me. That hurts worst of it all.

 

**EXT. DORNISH SHORE – AN APPROACHING DINGY**

 

At dawn, in an approaching dingy, JAIME, BRONN, and three LANNISTER MEN are rowing to shore.

  
BRONN  
You’ve sent a raven to Prince Doran, saying that you’re coming. I don’t bloody see the necessity to land in Dorne in secret.

 

JAIME  
(gruffly)  
The Queen sent a raven.

 

BRONN  
Same difference.

 

JAIME  
It’s better to catch your opponent off guard. He’ll be expecting us to travel through the Boneway or land in Plankytown. Reports would come to him of our arrival well in advance of when we do. By that time any sign of who killed Ser Arys will be long disposed of.

 

BRONN  
So, better to arrive early and catch’em with their breeches down?

 

JAIME nods.

 

JAIME  
Robb Stark may have been a foolish love struck boy, but he had enough of a tactical mind to remind me not to underestimate the element of surprise.

 

BRONN looks to shore.

 

BRONN  
Looks like that surprise won’t last long, after all.

 

BRONN points to shore where smoke from a campfire is barely distinguishable alongside the dim light of a campfire, partially hidden in the growing light of dawn.

 

JAIME  
When we land, make sure that he didn’t see us.

 

BRONN scowls.

 

BRONN  
The next one better be a real beauty, and her castle twice as big.

 

 

**INT. A TOWER IN SUNSPEAR**

 

The GUARDS are escorting ARIANNE. All are walking up a spiral staircase until they come to a door, which one GUARD pulls out some keys and fumbles with it to open. Once it is, ARIANNE is shoved inside and into a semi-darkness of the tower room at dawn. The keys turn, and we hear the door being locked, while ARIANNE stands there looking about the room as little of it as she can see.

 

 

**EXT. DORNISH SHORE**

 

We see HORYS, BRUS, and LAZAR looking after their horses and a few others, talking among each other.  
  
BRUS

Now I see why you promoted Collif to treasurer this afternoon. I had thought you a mad when I heard it.

 

LAZAR

He should’ve paid his debts to the company.

 

HORYS

Shh. I hear something down a ways.

 

 

**EXT. DOWN A WAYS ON THE DORNISH SHORE**

 

We see JAIME, BRONN and LANNISTER MEN disembark and walk the final portion of the sea to dry land. BRONN and some LANNISTER MEN break off and head in the direction of the fire seen in the distance in the smuggler’s cove.

 

 

**EXT. SMUGGLER’S COVE – DORNISH SHORE**

 

GEROLD sits by the campfire, poking at it with a stick, humming a song (THE DORNISHMAN’S WIFE) to himself. The sound of the waves coming in is heard in the background, as well as a few seagulls. This reverie is disturbed as the sound of someone approaching through the sand is heard by GEROLD. He stops and looks up to see a figured obscured in feature by the rising sun. GEROLD is able to make out a rough outline to see that the figure is a woman (OBARA) standing with what appears to be a staff (spear).

 

GEROLD  
Arianne?

 

GEROLD looks excited to see who he thinks is ARIANNE.

 

OBARA  
Aye.

 

GEROLD’s look changes abruptly at hearing the shadow speak. BEAT. GEROLD reaches for his sword. Before he can draw it, a spear impales his head through an eye and he collapses and dies.

 

OBARA approaches and pulls the spear from his body, stabbing him again with it just to be sure he’s dead or dying.

 

Just then OBARA hears a few horse whinnies and she rushes off screen.

 

 

 **EXT. DORNISH SHORE**  
  
A sword fight has broken out between HORYS, LAZAR and BRUS  & BRONN, JAIME, and the Lannister men. In response to all the swinging of swords, we see a few horses rear and whicker, eventually beginning to run off as herd mentality overrules disciplined training.  
  
Camera cuts to OBARA running to a horse on the outside of the herd, grabbing it by the reigns in an attempt to calm it down. The action fails, causing OBARA to be knocked unconscious when a hoof makes contact with her forehead and she falls into the sand.  
  
Camera cuts back to the swordfight. BRONN is facing off against HORYS, who is proving to be far quicker than BRONN and giving him quite the tough fight. JAIME is fighting LAZAR poorly with the help of a LANNISTER MAN who is killed by LAZAR. JAIME is fights until he loses his balance and lands on the flat of his back to LAZAR. Just as LAZAR is about to bring down his sword, JAIME sticks his golden hand up which catches the sword and causes a loud clang which distracts BRONN from his fight, causing him to be sliced at his heel. This disorients LAZAR which allows for JAIME to disarm him and kill LAZAR. In this chaos, HORYS takes stock and flees into the darkness on foot. BRUS takes out another LANNISTER MAN, and JAIME uses his sword and golden hand in combination to take out and kill BRUS. One of the remaining LANNISTER MEN approaches JAIME.  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER  
They're all dead, or as good as.  
  
JAIME notices the surcoat on SER GEROLD.  
  
JAIME  
This one is noble born... a Dayne.  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER  
The fighters were in the midst of attacking him--one of them must have killed him during the fight.  
  
JAIME  
We'll bring him with us to Sunspear.  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER  
Won't--  
  
JAIME  
What is it?  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER  
Won't Prince Doran think that we might have had a hand in his death?  
  
JAIME  
He will, but without evidence there's nothing he can do. Besides think from his perspective for a moment--would this man's killers arrive at his castle asking for him to receive a decent burial?  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER clearly looks confused. JAIME rolls his eyes.  
  
JAIME  
(sighs) Where's Bronn?  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER leads him over a sand dune to where BRONN is being helped by the other remaining LANNISTER MAN. BRONN curses and swears, conveying that any movement is painful.  
  
JAIME  
We need to get him to Sunspear, immediately.  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER  
He won't be able to walk.  
  
JAIME  
Then go chase after the fucking horses! They're not going to need them.  
  
LANNISTER SOLDIER starts to hurry off.  
  
JAIME  
And bring an extra one for the corpse!


	7. Episode Seven: The Gift

**Episode Seven: The Gift**

 

 

**INT. ELLARIA'S CHAMBER - SUNSPEAR**

 

We see ELLARIA is sitting down at a table, counting out a pile of coins. MYRCELLA is sitting in the chamber as well, in her pretty silk dress, embroidering a piece of cloth unhappily. A knock is heard at ELLARIA’s door.

 

ELLARIA  
Enter.

 

TYENE enters and is shocked to see ELLARIA counting the coins, seeing her do so however, emboldens her.

 

TYENE  
Mami... I have decided what I am to do with myself.

 

ELLARIA stops counting the coins and looks up, and turns to face TYENE.

 

ELLARIA  
And what is that, my sweet?

 

TYENE  
I have decided to take the holy vows of a Septa.

 

BEAT. ELLARIA looks shocked. TYENE waits anxiously for a moment before turning to leave.

 

ELLARIA  
Wait. Come back here. You cannot simply tell me you've decided to become a Septa and then leave! I... I was simply shocked that a daughter of mine would even consider—

 

TYENE  
What's the surprise? T'was long past time I decided what to do with my life. I cannot remain here at Sunspear for forever. I do not want to be some lord's paramour, nor some wife to a landed knight. What else is there for me?

 

ELLARIA  
You've made your point. It's just such a sudden decision. Are you sure?

 

TYENE  
Yes.

 

ELLARIA  
And when shall you leave for the Sandy Sept?

 

TYENE  
I have decided to take my vows at the Sept of Baelor.

 

BEAT.

 

ELLARIA  
Doran pressured you, didn't he?

 

TYENE  
He didn't. He only suggested it as one of a few potential Septs I might serve at.

 

ELLARIA  
And why would you choose to serve at the Sept of Baelor?

 

TYENE  
Because it was as far as I could get from Dorne, and you.

 

ELLARIA  
Me? Why would--if this is about the arrest of your cousin, I could not simply standby and let her stir up warfare between the Kingdoms again, not after peace was just recently achieved. And I wasn't about to let her drag you into the midst of--

 

TYENE during this time has taken off her antidote and disarmed herself of her knives.

 

TYENE  
Goodbye, mother.

 

TYENE turns and leaves. ELLARIA rises to follow after her.

 

ELLARIA  
Tyene!

 

The door slams in ELLARIA's face. MYRCELLA smirks.

 

 

  

**INT. THRONE ROOM - SUNSPEAR**

 

We see JAIME and LANNISTER MEN before DORAN who is on his throne with a few of his guards and MAESTER MYLES surrounding him.

 

JAIME  
I saw the sigil on his surcoat and knew his family would require a decent burial. Ser Arthur Dayne was an inspiration to me as knight.

 

DORAN  
_(sighs)_  
As was he to many.

 

JAIME  
As such, I thought it necessary to honor Ser Arthur's family by bringing his kin's bones to Sunspear.

 

DORAN  
How convenient you were to arrive there and discover his bones. Tell, me, this band of bandits led by a woman you say you fought and who killed Ser Gerold, how many of them were there?

 

JAIME  
About four altogether, including the woman. None had any sigils or crests upon their clothes. I took them for smugglers and thieves.

 

DORAN is silent for a moment, staring JAIME in the eye.

DORAN  
I had word of your departure sent to me from King's Landing by the Queen herself. Maester Myles can attest to that.

 

MYLES  
Indeed, my Prince. The letter arrived nigh a moon or so ago.

 

DORAN  
And yet here you are. If you had come by land, the Yronwoods would have wasted no time in telling me had you come down the Stoneway, and the Daynes would have been honored, I'm sure, to have such a devotee of Ser Arthur as guest at Starfall had you come down the Prince's Pass. Had you arrived in Plankytown, the length of your travel would make sense, but I am certain that my agents would have informed me of the fanfare of your arrival. And yet, here you are, Ser Jaime. And not only have you arrived in such a secretive manner, but you do so with the murderer of your sworn brother, Ser Arys Oakheart. Should I be frightened if the crown can operate so secretively within Dorne?

 

JAIME  
Murderer?

 

DORAN  
Aye. Maester Myles had just discovered the poison that Ser Arys was killed with.

 

MYLES  
I had been taking stock of my poisons and noticed my supply of the Long Goodbye was rather lower than I had last recorded. I then inspected Ser Arys' body and found dried blood in his nose. Someone had obviously poisoned Ser Arys, and wiped away the telltale nosebleed--but they forgot to wipe away the blood in the nose itself.

 

JAIME  
Why wasn't word of this sent to King's Landing?

 

DORAN  
Why I just had yesterday. Imagine my surprise therefore to find you arrived today with the prime suspect.

 

JAIME  
And why would Ser Gerold wish to kill Ser Arys.

 

DORAN  
An old family feud. You were rather unwise to send an Oakheart to Dorne. They've started more wars with our kingdom over their land feud with the Daynes than any other northern house.

 

JAIME  
How do you know that Ser Gerold was the one to give him the poison?

 

DORAN  
(eyeing the LANNISTER MEN)  
That is something I would prefer to share with you in confidence later. In the meanwhile, I am sure you are rather concerned of your niece's safety.

 

JAIME  
Aye, but--

 

DORAN  
She is with my late brother's paramour at the moment, I believe the two of you are familiar with one another. I shall be glad to have them fetched for you--if you wouldn't mind Maester Myles.

 

MYLES looks caught off guard before nodding and departing the room.

 

DORAN  
Ser Gerold was a particular favorite of my daughter's. A father hates to admit it, but I am afraid that my daughter is a flirt when it comes to handsome men. When Ser Arys arrived her attentions slowly shifted to him. Ser Gerold I am to understand grew jealous. The fact that Ser Arys was an Oakheart did not help matters any.

 

JAIME  
I have a hard time considering the kin of Ser Arthur would be so... devious. House Dayne values its honor nearly as much as the Starks did.

 

DORAN  
The main branch from Starfall does with their fancy title of the Sword of the Morning--but the cadet branch sworn to them, let's just say that between you and me, the cadet branch is where the darker nature of House Dayne may be found. But then, you would know about that dark nature, would you not?

 

JAIME  
I beg your pardon?

 

DORAN ignores JAIME's response, and pulls out a letter from the folds of his robes.

 

DORAN  
I understand from the Queen's letter that it is her wish to have the Princess Myrcella return to King's Landing with my son, Trystane?

 

JAIME  
It was the King's desire to have his beloved sister and soon to be goodbrother near him.

 

DORAN  
The King as far as I know is in many ways still a boy and your sister the true power behind the throne. Or... at least she was.

 

JAIME  
Was?!

 

DORAN pulls out a second letter from his robes, and holds it out for JAIME, who snatches it and reads it fervently.

 

DORAN  
The letter arrived this morning and is from Grandmaester Pycelle. My young maester saw the seal and completely disregarded to whom it was addressed. You must forgive Maester Myles, the poor boy hopes one day to be chosen to be Grandmaester himself, and thought the communication might be the Grandmaester responding to one of his inquires as to how to best go about achieving such a goal. I have suitably punished him--but the fact remains that the question of who rules in King's Landing is unclear at the moment. The Grandmaester says he has urged your Uncle Kevan to return from Casterly Rock to deal with this new High Septon--this High Sparrow as he is called, as though the man had no other name. He's closed the brothels, reorganized the faith militant, and imprisoned Ser Loras and Queen Margaery on charges of fornication, adultery, and many other heinous crimes that I pale at even conceiving of them. The Queen Dowager claims that the High Septon has acted without her knowledge.

 

JAIME crumples the letter in his hands.

 

DORAN  
Imagine my concern upon reading such news... it's made me consider the strength of our alliance, that our mothers wished for our families all those years ago...

 

JAIME  
These charges are outright lies.

 

DORAN  
That is a matter that the Faith shall decide it would seem. I think given the instability in King's Landing at the moment that my son should wait on journeying north. After all, we both know the dangers that come to those associated with the Royal Family in times of instability. You were there, in the same castle after all...

 

JAIME  
Your sister had no complaint of me.

 

DORAN  
No, nor any praise either, but then she died before she could give me any opinion of you... murdered by your father's men, all while you honorably stabbed your King in the back.

 

JAIME's glares at DORAN, who meets his glare. The LANNISTER MEN and Doran's guards look between the two and their hands nervously go to their weapons, but do not draw them. Just then DORAN looks up and his face changes completely, easing the tension in the room. We see ELLARIA and MYRCELLA enter the room as DORAN beckons them forward. The guards ease their holds on their weapons while ELLARIA takes notice.

 

MYRCELLA stops and stares when she sees JAIME. JAIME turns around and MYRCELLA runs to JAIME and hugs him, disregarding all decorum, taking JAIME offguard. When he recovers, he responds by hugging her with his golden hand. DORAN's eyebrow rises to see this. MYRCELLA is shocked by JAIME's golden hand.

 

MYRCELLA  
Your hand?!

 

JAIME  
A tale for another time.

 

DORAN  
The marriage pact shall remain, for Dorne, unlike some kingdoms, keeps its word. But Trystane will not accompany you to King's Landing until this matter of the High Sparrow is settled, and King's Landing is safe.

 

JAIME  
Agreed.

 

DORAN smirks. ELLARIA stares at DORAN.

 

 

 

**EXT. COURTYARD - SUNSPEAR**

 

DORAN is being pushed by one of his guards through the garden. ELLARIA approaches and then takes a knee before DORAN.

 

ELLARIA  
I wish for a word with you, my Prince.

 

DORAN  
Go on.

 

ELLARIA  
I would prefer it in private.

 

DORAN waves his guard away. The guard walks to the edge of the courtyard, but he doesn't exit it.

 

ELLARIA  
It concerns my daughter's becoming a Septa.

 

DORAN  
Yes, she approached me and asked my suggestion on the matter. I gave what advise I think my brother would have given.

 

ELLARIA  
You promised me my daughter would be safe and free from repercussion.

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN  
If you are referring to our agreement concerning your manipulations concerning my daughter, I would say that I did more than fulfill my end of the bargain.

 

ELLARIA  
And yet now you're sending her to King's Landing--a place you yourself have called dangerous and unstable enough that you would not send your son there.

 

DORAN  
I did not pressure my niece into going to King's Landing. She chose it of her own volition.

 

ELLARIA  
I am not so young to be deceived by that. She wanted to be as far from me as possible, and you wanted someone in King's Landing--so how convenient of you to forget to mention the Sept Across the Sea and the Snowy Sept as other places further than the Sept of Baelor for her to take her holy vows at.

 

DORAN  
Clever... I always told Oberyn he had chosen too clever a paramour for his own good.

 

ELLARIA  
Insult me, I care not. All I want--

 

DORAN  
Is the safety of your daughters, yes yes, we've been through this once before, remember? It makes me wonder how safe you'd consider Tyrosh to be? Your next eldest daughter, Elia, is practically a maiden already, isn't she? The Archon of Tyrosh has been interested in another bride to add to his collection, and he does prefer them rather young. While Elia is a bastard that means little to the Tyroshi, and simply the fact that she is of my blood and named for my dear sister would suffice.

 

ELLARIA  
You promised--

 

DORAN  
I promised that you and your daughters would be safe here at Sunspear as long as I was living. And they are. However, when you engage in acts which threaten the security of Dorne, my generosity grows thin. This time you came to me, and in doing so have shown yourself to be a schemer. How am I to be certain that that is the only scheme you have acted in?

 

ELLARIA  
I only acted--

 

DORAN  
Save your protestations and answer me this: what will you do when your daughters' safety comes at the expense of the safety of Dorne? What would you choose?

 

ELLARIA is silent.

 

DORAN  
I thought so. Think carefully Ellaria Sand the next time you seek to manipulate from the shadows, or you might find a daughter on the next ship to Tyrosh.

 

ELLARIA glares at DORAN and then turns and exits the courtyard.


	8. Episode Eight: Hardhome

** Episode Eight: Hardhome **

****

**EXT. AN ARID LANDSCAPE IN DORNE**

 

 

We see TRYSTANE riding a beleaguered and panting horse. TRYSTANE himself looks worse for wear, not having all of his proper attire for travel through the climate. The sun beats down from on high upon both TRYSTANE and his horse. TRYSTANE looks up and sees nothing in the distance all around him. TRYSTANE wipes the sweat from his brow and pulls on the bridle of his horse, who resists before falling over and kicking up the dust around TRYSTANE.

 

TRYSTANE  
Seven hells!

 

TRYSTANE looks up to the sun.

 

TRYSTANE  
Why torment me like this? Just kill me and be done with it!

 

TRYSTANE waits for something to happen, but when nothing does, he leaves the dying horse and continues on. As the dust settles around TRYSTANE, in the distance he sees what appears to be a small house. He rushes towards it, more of the house is seen and a nearby well as well.

 

TRYSTANE eventually makes it to the well, which he is relieved to find is real. He then drops the bucket and hears it hit water. Eagerly, TRYSTANE rolls the bucket back up and grabs it when it is within grasp and begins to drink long and heavily from the bucket--too quickly.

 

TRYSTANE is so distracted with drinking the water he fails to notice until a knife is at his throat that someone was sneaking up behind him. We are similarly taken by surprise along with TRYSTANE.

 

MAN  
Thief.

 

TRYSTANE  
Th...th... thief?

 

MAN  
To take so much water in a drought is thievery.

 

TRYSTANE  
My father is--

 

TRYSTANE is knocked unconscious and falls to the ground.

 

 

**INT. A TOWER IN SUNSPEAR**

 

We see ARIANNE pacing about a well-furnished tower room with bars on her window and a locked door. The room should contain a bed, a chamber pot, books, a Cyvasse table, and a regular table with ink and quill. The camera stays still and gives a sense of a time lapse as we fade to ARIANNE trying various different things about the room at many different times of the day. The entire sequence should convey the passage of time of many days and nights. We see ARIANNE variously banging on the door, screaming at the window, tossing a tray of food to the floor, eating her food off the floor ravenously, writing a letter and crumpling up the parchment, flipping idly through a book, throwing a book across the room, and laying on her bed. At the end of this sequence we hear the door unlock, and ARIANNE look up. Her father, DORAN is wheeled into the room by a guard, whom he then dismisses. ARIANNE stands and then kneels.

 

ARIANNE  
Father.

 

DORAN's eyes look ARIANNE over and then turn towards the Cyvasse table, but become locked on a tapestry depicting the long bridge of Volantis that is hung behind the cyvasse table. BEAT.

 

DORAN  
A strange and subtle folk, the Volantenes. I saw Volantis once, on my way to Norvos, where I first met your mother. The bells were ringing, and the bears danced down the steps, Areo would recall the day… were he here. _(BEAT)_ I told them to place a cyvasse table in your chambers.

 

ARIANNE, confused until she sees the tapestry then rises and joins her father at the cyvasse table.

 

ARIANNE  
Who was I supposed to play with?

 

DORAN  
Yourself. Sometimes it is best to study a game before you attempt to play it. How well do you know the game, Arianne?

 

ARIANNE  
Well enough to play.

 

ARIANNE moves a chair aside so that DORAN might wheel his chair to one side of the cyvasse table.

 

DORAN  
But not to win. My brother loved the fight for its own sake, but I only play such games as I can win.

 

DORAN indicates for ARIANNE to sit in the other seat and play with him. They begin to play a game of cyvasse.

 

DORAN  
Why? Tell me that, Arianne. Tell me why.

 

ARIANNE  
You know why.

 

DORAN  
You mean you were actually telling me the truth when you gave your little performance in the throne room? Somehow I doubt that.

 

ARIANNE  
Has my brother returned with Ser Gerold?

 

DORAN's eyebrow rises.

 

DORAN  
Ser Gerold has returned.

 

ARIANNE fumbles at a move.

 

DORAN  
Dead… but not with your brother or Areo.

 

ARIANNE  
Obara returned without them?

 

DORAN  
Forgive me, I forgot that Obara left with them, _(BEAT)_ but you did not.

 

ARIANNE  
Then how did Ser Gerold return? Last I heard, wights did not travel this far south, even in the last Long Night.

 

DORAN  
He was killed by bandits at the smuggler’s cove not too far from here. A wounded knight found and returned his bones. _(DORAN moves a piece)_ And now that your catspaw is dead and your plan to crown Myrcella queen has failed, would you care to tell me what you’ve learned from this failed attempt to manipulate me?

 

ARIANNE  
Which servant told you?

 

DORAN  
Why, it would ruin it to tell you. You, my daughter have too much of my brother in you. You mean what you say far too much than is good for you. That is something you need to guard against.

 

ARIANNE makes a move, and DORAN takes one of her pieces and she reacts.

 

DORAN  
As I said earlier, some games are best studied before you attempt to play them. And while you certainly gave my faculties a challenge, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as you’d like to imagine. Though thank the gods you only tried to manipulate matters within Sunspear and Dorne.

 

ARIANNE smirks and DORAN takes another piece.

 

ARIANNE  
You’re not angry?

 

DORAN  
Angry? No. I am disappointed in your ability to play the game, and your weakness at giving away your ploys with your emotions and gestures, but thankfully there is still time to learn here within the safety of Sunspear, which is why I asked you: what have you learned from your scheme?

 

ARIANNE  
Not to trust people too eager to help.

 

DORAN  
A little mistrust is a good thing in a princess.

 

ARIANNE  
To have my own plan, and to stick to it.

 

DORAN  
A mind of one’s own is an invaluable thing to have.

 

ARIANNE  
And to see my enemies dead instead of working with them.

 

ARIANNE takes one of DORAN's pieces. BEAT.

 

DORAN  
So you’re back to wishing Myrcella dead, then, instead of crowned?

 

ARIANNE  
Yes.

 

DORAN  
You want war, is that what you want?

 

ARIANNE  
I want my uncle avenged, I want my rights.

 

DORAN  
Your rights?

 

ARIANNE  
Dorne.

 

DORAN  
You will have Dorne after I am dead. Are you so anxious to be rid of me?

 

ARIANNE  
I should turn that question back on you, Father. You have been trying to rid yourself of me for years.

 

DORAN  
That is not true.

 

ARIANNE  
No? Shall we ask my brother when he returns?

 

DORAN  
This mistrust does you no honor, Arianne. Trystane should be the one conspiring against me. I sent him away when he was just a child too young to understand the needs of Dorne. Anders Yronwood has been more a father to him than I have, yet your brother remains faithful and obedient.

 

ARIANNE  
Why not? You favor him and always have. He is like you, he thinks like you, and you mean to give him Dorne, don’t trouble to deny it. I can see the letters written in blood upon the wall. First there came a betrothal to the crown, then you called him back from the Yronwoods before he is even knighted, and lastly you decreed he should stand in whatever councils you hold in the throne room. In comparison, I receive no proper betrothal, I am left to manage Sunspear with no guidance, and you will not meet me without Trystane also being present. _(BEAT)_ Tell me, Father, when did you decide to disinherit me? Was it the day that Trystane was born, or the day I was born? What did I ever do to make you hate me so?

 

DORAN  
I never hated you. Arianne, you do not understand. I had thought… well, it matters not what I had thought.

 

ARIANNE  
Oh yes, such thoughts. Gyles Rosby, Blind Ben Beesbury, Old Estermont, Greybeard Grandison, Brynden Tully, those were your thoughts. With every one you spit on me. If you ever felt any love for me at all, why offer me to men like _Walder Frey_?

 

DORAN  
Because I knew that you would spurn him, and all the rest. I had to be seen to try to find a consort for you once you’d reached a certain age, else it would have raised suspicions, but I dared not bring you any man you might accept. You were promised, Arianne.

 

ARIANNE  
Promised? What are you saying? Is this another lie? You never said…

 

DORAN  
The pact was sealed in secret. I meant to tell you when you were old enough… when you came of age, I thought, but…

 

ARIANNE  
Who is it? Who have I been betrothed to, all these years?

 

DORAN  
It makes no matter now. He is dead.

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE  
The old ones are so frail. Was it a broken hip, a chill, or the gout?

 

DORAN  
It was a pot of molten gold. We princes make our careful plans and the gods smash them all awry. You would have gone to Tyrosh in place of the Archon’s eldest daughter and served as a cupbearer and met with your betrothed in secret, but your mother threatened to kill herself if I stole another of her children, and I…  I could not do that to her.

 

ARIANNE  
Stole another of her children? What's that supposed to mean? She left before Trystane was sent to Yronwood, and Quentyn, the sickly mess that he was, was raised right here in Sunspear. Tell me, do I have another sibling that I know nothing of hidden away with some bannermen, ready to declare their claim to my throne?

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE  
Tell me! I have a right to know why my mother truly abandoned me!

 

DORAN  
She never abandoned you. Mellario could no longer bear to live with me, it is true, but she left Areo here for you and your brother.

 

ARIANNE  
I did not know an axe could be as loving as a mother.

 

DORAN  
Your mother did what she thought was best. Whether you agree or not with her decision is an entirely separate matter, for she made the choice and has had to live with it for all these years--as much as you have. _(BEAT)_ As for the other matter, we will speak on it another day as it concerns our heart’s desire.

 

ARIANNE  
And what is our heart’s desire?

 

DORAN  
Vengeance.

 

ARIANNE looks confused at DORAN.

 

DORAN  
Justice.

 

DORAN picks up a cyvasse piece from the board, and then takes his daughter's hand.

 

DORAN  
Fire and Blood.

 

ARIANNE opens her hand to show a black onyx dragon piece in the palm of her hand. ARIANNE looks up at DORAN, the two lock eyes and both smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, I wanted to try my hand at adapting the scene between Doran and Arianne from AFFC for the TV show. While I did lift some dialogue straight from the books, I also mixed enough of my own material (some of it necessary to include as the situation which got Arianne here is far different than the book) that I don't feel like I'm simply transcribing one from the other (which is my largest complaint about fan fiction that borrows from the books). As such, this scene, which I thought definitely deserved to be put on screen, has been in this fan fic brought to life.


	9. Episode Nine: The Dance of the Dragons

** Episode Nine: The Dance of Dragons  
**

 

**  
INT. DARK ROOM**

 

TRYSTANE wakes in a darkened room with only a sliver a light from a partially obscured door. The light dim, suggesting evening. Out of the room we hear an argument between two people, a man and a woman. TRYSTANE groans and stretches only to find his hands and feet have been bound and tied together. A young boy, WEX, previously hidden in the shadows, pops out and puts a hand over TRYSTANE's mouth and a finger to his own. Doing so, we hear the man and woman's argument more clearly.

 

WOMAN  
You cannot refuse he wears fine clothes!

 

MAN  
How many times do I have to tell you... fine clothes mean little anymore. Fancy merchants from Plankytown wear fine clothes and that don't make 'em no lord or knight!

 

WOMAN  
And if you go to Lord Vaith and find him a lord? What then? It's death to have threatened the life of the nobles!

 

MAN  
Be quiet you foolish woman.

 

WOMAN  
You have no answer for that do you? You're just going to march right up there to Lord Vaith and risk being killed for striking a lord? All for the sake of your own pride.

 

MAN  
And what of our children, hmm? Do their lives have no value to you? You're just going to let any fancy dressed Sandy come and drink our well dry?

 

WOMAN  
I am always thinking of them! They can't afford to risk losing you to some lord's punishment! Who will till what little fields we have left? You think seeing their dry lips and burying the little ones is bad--how much worse will it be when they have to starve and Lord Vaith takes our piss pot for taxes!

 

A smack is heard, followed by footsteps and the banging of a door. BEAT. More footsteps are heard, this time approaching TRYSTANE.

 

WOMAN  
Wex? Wex where are you?

 

The boy reacts taking his hand off TRYSTANE and we hear something slide and more light then peers through the door, which opens to reveal a sturdy middle aged woman dressed in well worn clothes that hand a little loosely on her, as though she has lost some weight.

 

WOMAN  
Wex, how did you--(WOMAN sees TRYSTANE staring at her. To TRYSTANE) Oh, you're awake...

 

TRYSTANE  
Yes.

 

WOMAN  
Now I'm going to ask you a few questions and I want you to be honest with me, as I can see a lie coming from the horizon. Are you nobleborn?

 

TRYSTANE nods.

 

BEAT.

 

WOMAN  
Beyond your clothes, can you prove that?

 

TRYSTANE  
I can satisfy Lord Vaith, should he need it. Lord Vaith is one of my father's reliable bannermen, and he should recognize me on sight.

 

WOMAN  
You claim to be a Martell then?

 

TRYSTANE  
I am Prince Trystane Doranos Nymeros Martell, son of Prince Doran Lorezos Nymeros Martell, son of Princess Loreza Dariaza Nymeros Martell, daughter of--

 

WOMAN  
Enough, enough of your speech. I believe you.

 

TRYSTANE  
And yet you keep me tied up.

 

WOMAN  
I never said you had me faith. Why should I untie you if you can prove to Lord Vaith who you are?

 

TRYSTANE  
I have an important message for Sunspear that cannot be delayed.

 

WOMAN  
What message? There was hardly anything on you when me husband tied you up.

 

TRYSTANE  
There is a rebel gathering sellswords to challenge Sunspear. My father, Prince Doran must learn of this immediately!

 

WOMAN  
All right, but first m'Prince, I want you to see things here from my sights. Me husband has caught a finely dressed boy, most likely a Sandy, stealing water from our well in a drought. He goes to Lord Vaith and bothers him about the matter to come here, only to find the man gone and me poorly repeat that list 'o names to him. What think you Lord Vaith would do to the man who took 'im from his lordly duties? What do you think he'd do to his family, huh?

 

TRYSTANE  
Why, you're Lord Vaith's own smallfolk, aren't you?

 

WOMAN  
Oh, yes, but that only means Lord Vaith can do as he wishes as long as Sunspear hear none of it.

 

BEAT.

 

TRYSTANE  
That's... horrible.

 

WOMAN  
'Tis the way of the world. (she scoffs and shakes her head) You must be a Prince to not know that. (BEAT) But I have an idea that might satisfy us both m'Prince, if you're willing.

 

BEAT.

 

TRYSTANE  
I will it.

 

WOMAN  
Without asking what it is?

 

TRYSTANE  
What other choice do I have?

 

WOMAN smirks, and then looks to WEX and beckons for him to approach her.

 

WOMAN  
This here is Wex, me second--well, now eldest boy. He can't talk, but he isn't stupid. The Septon last he came through to the village taught him his letters so he might read and write to speak, but he has other skills as well.

 

WEX looks up at the WOMAN.

 

WOMAN  
Take him with you.

 

TRYSTANE  
What?

 

WEX hugs WOMAN. WOMAN tries to pry him off her as she speaks.

 

WOMAN  
The drought gets worser and I fear me children'll die afore me for lack o'water. See his dry chapped lips and flaky skin? My eldest and youngest started out the same way afore they went and the others are worse than he and are like to go any day. There's little for him here, but if you're a Prince, you can give him a better life far from here. He can be a guard in your household, a kitchen boy, a page, a cupbearer, anything you like as long as you take him to your watered palaces. And if you're not a Prince, then you can at least have the decency to give him a good clean death when you're out o' sight rather than letting him waste away staying here.

 

BEAT

 

TRYSTANE  
I will take him.

 

WOMAN sighs. WEX clings tighter.

 

WOMAN  
Thank you (she breaks WEX's grip and bends down to his level. To WEX) Wex, now listen to the Prince he'll take care of you now.

 

WEX pokes his mother in the chest.

 

WOMAN  
I'll... I'll get by. You, go.

 

WOMAN kisses the top of WEX's head.

 

Throughout their interaction we cut to TRYSTANE who seems greatly affected by the scene.

 

WOMAN  
(To TRYSTANE) How good are you with knots?

 

 

**INT. MAESTER MYLES' CHAMBERS - EVENING**

 

We see BRONN laying on a bed in Maester Myles' chambers. BRONN groans, his leg wrapped in gauze. A small table is next to the bed, with a bottle labeled milk of the poppy on it. The door opens and in ENTERS ARIANNE.

 

BRONN  
Who's there?

 

ARIANNE is silent for a moment her back against the now closed door. The camera takes notice of the bottle of milk of the poppy on the table next to BRONN. BEAT. ARIANNE then creeps towards the jars and stores along the wall, searching and finding two bottles that she pockets.

 

BRONN  
I can see you... there in the shadows. This isn't a dream.

 

ARIANNE approaches.

 

ARIANNE  
How can you be sure? How can any of us be sure until we wake?

 

BRONN  
If I was dreaming, you wouldn't be wearing that...

 

ARIANNE grabs the bottle of milk of the poppy off the table as she approaches the edge of the bed.

 

ARIANNE  
But that would be  skipping ahead to the best part of the dream, missing all the anticipation. Surely half of the best part of any dream is the anticipation it takes to get there.

 

ARIANNE begins to toy with the ties that keep her dress on.

 

BRONN  
Mayhaps... but still, you seem all too fleshy to be a dream to me.

 

ARIANNE  
You are a knight, yes?

 

BRONN  
If this is my dream, then how come you don't know?

 

ARIANNE approaches closer and unties one side of her dress, exposing one breast. She slowly leans closer.

 

ARIANNE  
You're ruining your own dream with all these questions. Pretend I don't know... you are a knight, yes?

 

BRONN  
Aye... Ser Bronn of the Blackwater.

 

ARIANNE exposes her other breast.

 

ARIANNE  
Bronn Blackwater? I have not heard of your family before.

 

BRONN  
That's cause I'm the first.

 

ARIANNE sits on the bed.

 

ARIANNE  
What knight have you slain?

 

BRONN  
Many at the Battle of Blackwater Bay and before... but now, with my leg, I know not how many more...

 

ARIANNE leans over BRONN.

 

ARIANNE  
Any Dornish knights?

 

BRONN  
In my younger days.

 

ARIANNE  
You are not so old. How were you wounded?

 

BRONN  
Oh, that? Smugglers and bandits.

 

ARIANNE leans down and kisses BRONN hard on the mouth.

 

ARIANNE  
Think not on your leg anymore.

 

ARIANNE moves to kiss him again, getting BRONN to open his mouth in anticipation. She instead pours some of the bottle of the milk of the poppy into it and immediately shuts his mouth closed. BRONN resists, but ARIANNE holds firm and begins to stroke his neck.

 

ARIANNE  
Swallow. It'll only be harder if you fight it.

 

BRONN slowly begins to stop resisting, and falls unconscious. ARIANNE smirks, sits up and ties her dress closed.

 

ARIANNE  
Sleep for now, Ser Bronn... and who knows this might be a recurring dream for you.

 

 

  
**INT. DARK ROOM -- LATER**

 

TRYSTANE is free and the WOMAN is tied up in his place, though obviously willingly. TRYSTANE is finishing tying the WOMAN up.

 

TRYSTANE

Remember, you'll say I mentioned Hellholt.

 

WOMAN

Hellholt. I can remember that. Lord Vaith hates Lord Uller.

 

TRYSTANE nods and ties a gag around the woman's mouth, then rises and leaves the camera lingers on the WOMAN as the door closes and light cuts out, tears falling down her cheeks.

 

**EXT. ROAD - NIGHT**

 

We see TRYSTANE and WEX leaving the house and heading down the road.

 

GIRL

WEX!

 

A young GIRL, barely older than a toddler, comes running out after WEX. WEX turns around and stops the GIRL. They hug. TRYSTANE watches. WEX points her back to the house. She returns.  WEX looks behind for a moment before hurrying off into the night with TRYSTANE.

 

 

 

**INT. MYRCELLA'S CHAMBERS - EARLY MORNING**

 

It is near dawn. MYRCELLA is wearing the clothes TYENE had given her as she directs a SERVANT on packing. JAIME knocks on the open door as he stands in the doorway.  
  
MYRCELLA  
(to the servant) Be careful, you'll crease it if you just shove it in like that.  
  
MYRCELLA looks up and sees JAIME standing in the doorway.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Morning.  
  
JAIME  
Last minute packing?  
  
MYRCELLA  
Repacking. I needed to add more to my trunks.  
  
The SERVANT attempts to close the trunk but it is overloaded.  
  
SERVANT  
It is too much, my lady.  
  
JAIME  
Princess. Her title is Princess.  
  
SERVANT  
It is still too much!  
  
MYRCELLA  
Go, I'll take care of it.  
  
The SERVANT looks startled before leaving the room. MYRCELLA opens the trunk and begins to take some of the clothes out.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Of course it was too much, when you simply throw it in there.  
  
MYRCELLA takes out some of the rumpled clothes and begins to fold them again. JAIME approaches the bed. JAIME then gestures to the leather clothes MYRCELLA was folding.  
  
JAIME  
I don't recall these being in your taste.  
  
MYRCELLA  
They're from Tyene. She's taking Septa vows and won't need her clothes anymore, and I liked them enough that she gave them to me.  
  
BEAT.  
  
JAIME  
Your mother won't care for those clothes.  
  
MYRCELLA  
It matters not, she'll be so happy to see me, she wouldn't care if I wore sack cloth for the rest of my life.  
  
JAIME  
No, she'd still care.  
  
MYRCELLA  
She's my mother, Uncle.  
  
JAIME  
And my twin. I know her better than any person. When we were half your age she'd dress in my clothes and attend my lessons with the maester for me when I didn't want to. No one but father and mother could tell us apart then. (BEAT) But that Cersei died with your grandmother, only to be replaced with the Queen of Westeros we all know and love. At best, she'll think you childish.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Then let her.  
  
MYRCELLA slams the trunk closed but it bounces back open. BEAT. JAIME approaches and attempts to help her close the trunk by putting his weight on it. MYRCELLA tries to latch it close.  
  
JAIME  
And what of Trystane, how shall he see this change?  
  
MYRCELLA  
Oh Uncle! The Dornish are different.  
  
JAIME  
The Salty Dornish are, aye, but Trystane was raised by Stony Dornishmen. Lord Yronwood, I believe, and the Yronwoods still hold to the Andal customs where they may.  
  
MYRCELLA  
Trystane says nothing of his cousins wearing such as I.  
  
JAIME  
What standards a man holds for his cousins and what standards he holds for his wife are two very different things. Unfair, I know, but it is what it is.

 

MYRCELLA  
If all you can offer are vague truths, you should hold your tongue. You don't know him. Trystane loves me and I him, and he would never question me like you are now.

  
MYRCELLA manages to strain to secure the trunk. JAIME stops putting his weight on the trunk.

JAIME  
I am simply trying to give you a man's perspective.

 

MYRCELLA  
A man's perspective? How dare you to presume to usurp the role of father to me! You are my Uncle and my brother's Lord Commander, I love you, but do not parent me. I am long past the need of a father! I've had to raise myself between mother giving all her attention to Joffrey and father drowning himself in his wine. Someone had to look after Tommen and myself when the Septa fell asleep, so I did. I don't need a father.

 

BEAT. The trunk bursts open.

 

JAIME  
Is there anything else, Princess?

 

MYRCELLA  
Oh don't sulk. You're almost as bad as Tommen.

 

JAIME  
And you are your mother's daughter.

 

JAIME EXITS.

 

 

**EXT. STREETS OF SUNSPEAR - EARLY MORNING**

 

ELLARIA, cloaked, walks through a city street just beginning to wake up. She approaches and enters an alehouse.

 

INT. ALEHOUSE

 

We see the alehouse's clientele is either passed out drunk, vomiting, waking up, or gathered around a man, HORYS, standing up on a table, playing a harp and singing. ELLARIA's attention is brought to HORYS. The two lock eyes and HORYS gestures with his head to a table in a dark corner of the room. ELLARIA makes her way to the table having to navigate bodies to do so. HORYS finishes his song and bows and accepts coins for his performance. He looks to the door where a man who looks to be leaning against the wall in a stupor stands, the two lock eyes and nod. The MAN exits the alehouse, and HORYS then joins ELLARIA at the table.

 

HORYS  
A pleasure to see you, as always m'lady.

 

ELLARIA  
For the last time, I am not a lady.

 

HORYS  
I meant it as an honor, to Oberyn. He said treat your whores and lovers and ladies, and they shall always treat you well.

 

ELLARIA  
Leave your empty complements to your whores. I began to worry when I saw Ser Gerold return dead and hear of your defeat at the hand of Ser Jaime Lannister.

 

HORYS  
Was that who we were fighting? It was hard to see in the early morning light.

 

ELLARIA  
You were supposed to keep her occupied.

 

HORYS  
And we did, adn along the way she took care of a few problems I had in the company. Now, we're of one mind, not four. Far more effective to manage that way.

 

ELLARIA  
And three swords fewer, it would seem.

 

HORYS

You'd be surprised how drought and hardship can make a person desperate enough to do, like join a sellsword company for instance. You do have the gold?

 

ELLARIA grimaces, but pulls out the bag of coin we saw her counting earlier. HORYS opens the bag and takes one to bite it. After that he then returns the coin to the bag and weighs it.

 

HORYS  
There's more gold here than we agreed to. Have you become generous, m'lady?

 

ELLARIA  
It is good to see your head for business is untouched by that fight, but honesty does not become a sellsword.

 

HORYS  
That was a benefit to you, given who the father of your daughters was. It was a one-time deal we might say. Now, speak plainly, what else do you wish for us to do that you have paid extra for?

 

ELLARIA  
The riots that your men started, they should be persuaded to start again... to begin with.

 

HORYS  
The smallfolk are ready for riot, aye, but this time it might not be as easy to control, considering how long the drought has lasted. All it needs is something to push it over the edge. Oberyn's death, while saddening, wasn't enough. Something bigger would have to be done, something more immediately present.

 

BEAT.

 

ELLARIA  
No. All I want is one small riot to distract the guards so that my daughters and I can leave Sunspear. They aren't safe there anymore.

 

HORYS  
A pity you should say that. After all, should the smallfolk became convinced that the Prince was purposely arranging for his family members who would help them to die while he lives in well-watered luxury, why that would be just the thing to spark a riot like what you wish.

 

ELLARIA stands.

 

HORYS  
Sit down m'lady, I simply gave that as an example.

 

ELLARIA sits. We hear the door to the alehouse open, and HORYS nods.

 

HORYS  
It is a pity though, I had thought with the excess gold that your position might have changed from when we last talked, but alas, it hasn't.

 

Footsteps approach, ELLARIA turns and we see three guards dressed in Sunspear's colors approaching. BEAT. Some of the more awake people begin to stumble towards the door.

 

ELLARIA  
Doran paid you off in the first place...

 

HORYS  
We do have a new contract, but it isn't with the Prince--though his guards should have been more consciencious about collecting their dead if they wish to keep their arms nad armor from spreading around. Everyone always forgets to collect the arms and armor, but not I. That's how I found her. I'd gone back for the bodies and armor. She'd been knocked unconscious and left for dead, but I brought her back, and now she leads us, like her father would have wanted.

 

The guards stop right next to the table. The center one lowers their spear and scarf to reveal OBARA. ELLARIA rises to try and run. OBARA stabs ELLARIA through with the spear. ELLARIA falls to the ground, bleeding. OBARA approaches, taking hold of the spear.

 

ELLARIA  
My... daughters...

 

OBARA  
I shall raise my sisters in the manner my father would have wanted.

 

ELLARIA dies. OBARA pulls her scarf back up.

 

OBARA  
Come, we must leave and be seen.

 

EXT. STREET OF SUNSPEAR

 

A small crowd has gathered around the entrance to the alehouse who back away as OBARA and her men exit the alehouse.

 

HORYS (off screen)

They killed her! Prince Doran killed his brother's paramour!

 

The crowd begins to murmur.

 

 

**EXT. DOCK OF SUNSPEAR - LATE MORNING**

 

The LANNISTER MEN are boarding a dingy to take to the ship that is loaded with MYRCELLA's trunk that has been forced closed with several pieces of rope tied around it. On the dock, DORAN and ARIANNE bid farewell to MYRCELLA, TYENE, and JAIME. TYENE is dressed in simple white robes and has covered her hair with a white cloth.

 

DORAN  
I wish you well and hope to see you and my son wed as soon as King's Landing is safe. I'll make the journey myself for the occasion.

 

MYRCELLA  
Thank you. You've been kind and understanding.

 

DORAN then signals for ARIANNE to approach.

 

ARIANNE  
I will remain in Dorne when you wed, but I shall see you off as any goodsister should.

 

ARIANNE surprises MYRCELLA by kissing her, on the lips long and hard before breaking the kiss and allowing the stunned MYRCELLA to board the dingy.

 

DORAN  
(to JAIME) Our maester shall see to your knight here and send him back when healed.

 

JAIME  
I wish circumstances weren't so that I had to leave him here. Tell him that for me.

 

ARIANNE  
I shall. For the maester shan't be the only one attending him.

 

BEAT. JAIME enters the dingy. TYENE approaches DORAN and ARIANNE.

 

ARIANNE  
Are you sure this is what you wish, cousin?

 

TYENE  
I am more sure of this than anything else. After all, my own mother does not even deign to see me off.

 

DORAN  
Do not be too harsh on her, child, this has been a very rough period for her. First she loses Oberyn, now you, she likely does not know what to do with herself.

 

TYENE  
If she truly cared... but that doesn't matter now. Farewell cousin, uncle. I hope to serve well in King's Landing.

 

DORAN smirks. TYENE boards the dingy which then pushes off. As the dingy rows away, ARIANNE grimaces slightly and begins to touch her stomach oddly. DORAN takes note. ENTER a SERVANT who approaches DORAN and whispers something in his ear. DORAN's eyes grow wide.


	10. Episode Ten: Mother's Mercy

** Episode Ten: Mother’s Mercy **

 

**INT.  ARIANNE’S CHAMBERS**

 

We see ARIANNE sleeping with the GUARD who has been pushing her father’s wheelchair around in all the previous episodes. ARIANNE moves in discomfort in her sleep, eventually awaking and clutching her stomach. She looks ready to vomit until ARIANNE reaches for a table by her bed and grabs a vial off of it and downs it. BEAT. The GUARD turns over in his sleep and ARIANNE seems to recover. She then curls up next to the GUARD.

 

 

 

**EXT. SHIP NEAR TARTH**

 

We see a ship sailing briskly along the winds with the island of Tarth in the distance. MYRCELLA is leaning on the gunwale looking out towards the island as they sail past. Other sailors are seen about their business aboard deck, and JAIME comes up from below deck. JAIME halts looks at MYRCELLA before approaching. MYRCELLA does not turn around as footsteps are heard approaching.

 

MYRCELLA

What isle is that, Captain?

 

JAIME

Tarth.

 

MYRCELLA turns around and sees JAIME. BEAT.

 

MYRCELLA

Ser Jaime.

 

JAIME

Myr--My Princess. I have been thinking on what was said back at Sunspear, and I wish to apologize. As your... kinsman, I am concerned with your well being. I meant nothing further than that.

 

BEAT.

 

MYRCELLA

For your concern, I  thank you, Uncle. (pause) What do you know of Tarth?

 

JAIME

I know a lady from Tarth.

 

MYRCELLA

(sighs)

And she was as beautiful as me?

 

JAIME

No. Quite frankly, looking from afar, you could hardly tell if she were a man or a woman, especially in armor.

 

MYRCELLA

She wore armor?!

 

JAIME approaches and leans on the gunwale next to Myrcella.

 

JAIME

Aye, and fought well with a sword. Her father taught her, she said. He hadn't wanted to teach her, and it was a tremendous issue between them for a long time. He tried to force her into pretty gowns and foisted suitors upon her, until one day he came down as she was fighting in the yard against his squires and not doing very well, and he tossed a practice sword at her feet and began to teach her himself.

 

MYRCELLA

What changed his mind?

 

JAIME

She said he wanted her to do it right, if she was going to fight at all. But truthfully, I think he just realized he was fighting a war he wasn't going to win, and rather than lose, it was better to change tactics than lose a daughter.

 

MYRCELLA

Oh.

 

JAIME

I owe that lady my life. When I lost my hand, she inspired me to keep fighting. That, even though I might be crippled for the rest of my life, I shouldn't let others deign what I could or could not do for myself.

 

MYRCELLA smiles.

 

MYRCELLA

She sounds wondrous, I'd like to meet her one day.

 

JAIME

I would like that as well.

 

MYRCELLA and JAIME begin to walk across the deck together as they talk. MYRCELLA moves closer to JAIME, but there is still a slight distance.

 

MYRCELLA

Tell me more about the war, Uncle. I'm curious what's happened North of the Red Mountains of Dorne since I left King's Landing, and I want to know what _you_ did in it.

 

JAIME gives a slight laugh.

 

JAIME

I'd like to say I was a hero unparalleled by any warrior in the War of the Five Kings, but that would be a lie.

 

MYRCELLA

After you escaped, I'm sure you distinguished yourself enough to make up for it, to fill your page in the White Book.

 

JAIME

Aye... my page in the White Book... well, I tried to escape... but I didn't get very far before I was captured again.

 

MYRCELLA

Then how did you get free?

 

JAIME

That Lady of Tarth escorted me back to King's Landing as part of a hostage exchange.

 

MYRCELLA

And then you won the war.

 

JAIME

The war was all but over by the time we returned to King's Landing...

 

MYRCELLA

Well... if I don't meet this lady, I will consider it a slight, Uncle.

 

JAIME

As my Princess commands.

 

MYRCELLA laughs and stumbles a bit, clearly looking dizzy.

 

JAIME

If we hadn't been at sea for very long, I might say you needed your sea legs.

 

MYRCELLA laughs.

 

MYRCELLA

It's nothing, I'm slightly dizzy is all.

 

JAIME

Mayhaps we should go below decks.

 

MYRCELLA

It's passing. And I'd like to hear more of this journey you took with the... Lady of Tarth.

 

MYRCELLA stumbles again, JAIME catches her.

 

 

 

**EXT. STREETS OF SUNSPEAR**

 

We see TRYSTANE and WEX make their way through the streets which are now packed, with a crowd gathered around a musician with a harp, HORYS. Upon hearing the song, they stop to listen, though are clearly at the back of the crowd.

 

HORYS

(sings)

When the Seven walked among hill and glen, who then was the gentlemen? Why should our knees bend for the sun, which dries out our crops and bakes the land? Oh woe and lamentation in these dying days, when the drought and taxes make us pay. Oh woe, woe, oh woe. Oh Mother Rhoyne we call to you, your loyal children tried and true. We've lost our way and gone a stray when the spear pierced the sun anew. When the spear pierced the sun anew. Oh woe and lament in these dying days, when the drought and the taxes makes us pay. Oh woe, woe, oh woe.

 

TRYSTANE

My father needs hear of this. Come Wex.

 

TRYSTANE starts to leave, but WEX stays a moment, before TRYSTANE returns and draws his attention to follow, which WEX seems to reluctantly do.

 

 

 

**INT. CAPTAIN'S CABIN**

 

We see TYENE approach and knock on a door. It is opened by JAIME who allows TYENE to enter. We see an obviously sick MYRCELLA laying in the captain's bed, appearing asleep. TYENE turns around to face JAIME.

 

JAIME

Go on, she wanted you.

 

BEAT. TYENE approaches MYRCELLA's bedside. MYRCELLA stirs. BEAT.

 

MYRCELLA

Tyene.

 

TYENE takes MYRCELLA's closet hand.

 

TYENE

I'm here.

 

MYRCELLA

I think I was... poisoned.

 

BEAT.

 

JAIME

Poisoned?!

 

TYENE

What are your symptoms?

 

MYRCELLA

I'm dizzy, my vision is blurred, and I'm nauseous.

 

TYENE

That could be many things beyond poisoning--it might just be seasickness, we are on a ship afterall.

 

MYRCELLA

It came on suddenly after we'd been at sea for a while... I was wondering, the antidote you have, around your neck, could I have some?

 

TYENE

I am certain it's just seasickness.

 

MYRCELLA

Mayhaps you're right, but it'll make me stop worrying. Please.

 

TYENE

I wish I could. If I still had my necklace, I'd have given you the antidote around my neck when you asked. But... I left it back in Dorne.

 

BEAT.

 

MYRCELLA

Could you make more?

 

MYRCELLA begins to bleed from her nose. BEAT.

 

TYENE

If you think you've been poisoned by the Long Farewell, Princess, then there's unfortunately little I can do here amid sail.

 

MYRCELLA notices her nose bleed. She touches her fingers to her blood and looks at them. BEAT.

 

MYRCELLA

I understand. Thank you...

 

TYENE

For what? I haven't done anything...

 

MYRCELLA

For being here.

 

MYRCELLA squeezes TYENE's hand. BEAT. TYENE stands and wipes away a tear from her eye.

 

TYENE

Some dust got into my eye.

 

 JAIME

Myrcella, you're bleeding!

 

MYRCELLA

I know Uncle. (to TYENE) How long?

 

TYENE

A few hours... you likely will die before the sun sets.

 

MYRCELLA

If this is to be my last sunset, I will see it.

 

MYRCELLA attempts to rise, but proves barely able to do so. Her nosebleed gets slightly worse.

 

JAIME

You're not well. You must rest until you're better. (to TYENE) And why aren't you trying to stop the bleeding?

 

TYENE

Because there's nothing I can do. She is already dead.

 

JAIME

Already dead?! How?

 

MYRCELLA

Poison, Uncle. Someone poisoned me before I left Dorne... and once the nose begins to bleed, it's already too far gone for any antidote to work.

 

JAIME

The Martells must have poisoned you.

 

TYENE

Or my mother... she knew I didn't have my antidote anymore.

 

MYRCELLA

It doesn't matter... please, just take me to the deck so I can see the sunset, Uncle.

 

BEAT. JAIME nods, and comes over and picks MYRCELLA up.

 

 

 

**INT. THRONE ROOM IN SUNSPEAR**

We see DORAN seated at his throne with a map of Essos in his lap. ARIANNE stands next to DORAN and looks over the map with DORAN. TRYSTANE ENTERS, looking washed and in clean clothes.

 

DORAN

Meereen is too far to march an army to Penthos—they'd have to take the Demon Road, and we all know that is an impossibility.

 

ARIANNE

But what ships have we to send?

 

DORAN sees TRYSTANE approach the throne.

 

DORAN

Ahh, bathed and dressed at last?

 

TRYSTANE

Where's Myrcella?

 

ARIANNE takes the map from DORAN and rolls it up.

 

DORAN

She has returned to King's Landing. The King wished for his sister to return home, and I obliged him.

 

TRYSTANE

And when shall I go to King's Landing?

 

ARIANNE ties the map closed.

 

DORAN

Not yet. You still have much to learn before you'll be ready for that adder's pit.

 

TRYSTANE

But I will go and marry Myrcella.

 

DORAN

Mayhaps, and mayhaps not.

 

BEAT

 

TRYSTANE

Are you breaking the engagement?

 

DORAN nods his head. ARIANNE comes down from the dais and uses the rolled up map to tap TRYSTANE teasingly as she speaks.

 

ARIANNE

They don't know it yet, but they will soon enough.

 

BEAT

 

TRYSTANE

And that's it? It matters not that I love Myrcella?

 

DORAN

Put the girl from your mind, she is not for you.

 

TRYSTANE

I dragged myself across the Dornish desert to see her again. My horse died, I nearly died for thirst just to be with her, and you say that I did all that for nothing?

 

ARIANNE

What of your family, are we worth nothing more than the sands of the desert? (BEAT) Give it up little brother, she's to be someone else's wife rather soon. One might even say she's already wedded without knowing it.

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN

Don't look so destroyed Trystane, you will not be without a betrothed for long.

 

TRYSTANE

I am to simply forget my love then?

 

DORAN

You are a Martell of Dorne. You have a duty and an obligation to your house to marry as your Prince or Princess sees fit and as will best benefit the house. Love has little to do with marriage--that's what paramours are for.

 

(BEAT)

 

TRYSTANE

I understand.

 

DORAN

Good. You said you nearly died of thirst? How did Areo let that happen?

 

TRYSTANE

I don't know what happened to Areo, we were betrayed by Obara, who fell in with some sellswords and talked of overthrowing you, and when we found her out she and the swords attacked. Areo told me to flee and return to Sunspear. I got lost off the road, was… saved by that boy, and did not find my way again until I came to the Greenblood.

 

DORAN

Like a true Rhoynar, the river always brings us home.

 

ARIANNE

_Obara_ betrayed you?! Our cousin?

 

TRYSTANE

Yes.

 

DORAN

Areo would not let her do so without having her receive the kiss of his axe. I have no doubt that she has paid for her betrayal.

 

TRYSTANE

But has he returned?

 

BEAT.

 

DORAN

I will send some guards out to search for him. You must speak with them before they leave. He must be brought back to Sunspear, especially with the news you bring me of wagging tongues of minstrels in the streets.

 

TRYSTANE nods.

 

TRYSTANE

There's something else that I learned while traveling. (TRYSTANE meets DORAN's eyes directly) Did you know there was devastating drought in Dorne?

 

DORAN

I notate the records as they come in from my lords. The crop yields have been smaller, but I wouldn't say that they're tremendously so.

 

TRYSTANE

That is not what I've seen.

 

ARIANNE

And what have you seen?

 

TRYSTANE

Families are portioning what little water they have mostly for their crops and having to limit their own drinks and watch as their children go thirsty with dried and chapped lips as wrinkled as a prune between rations of water. Seeing that made me think--how can we in any good conscience continue to operate the Water Gardens? Where in the Seven Pointed Star does it say that we must have fountains and pools, while our smallfolk lack enough to drink?

 

ARIANNE

Trystane, what you're saying is insane. Close the Water Gardens?! Our enemies would take that as a sign of weakness!

 

TRYSTANE

And the solution is to just let things continue as they are?

 

DORAN

Trystane, you have had a long and trying journey.

 

TRYSTANE

I have, but that is little compared to what the smallfolk I've seen endure. Something must be done.

 

DORAN

You've come to appreciate the work and livelihood of the smallfolk that is an important lesson for any Prince to learn. Some Kings go their entire lives without ever understanding the struggles of their subjects, but you seem to have learned that rather quickly. (DORAN smirks) I will address the plight of the smallfolk you have brought to my attention as I see best to proceed, but I urge you to put that thought from your mind for but a moment. There is a matter that I have put off for long enough, but now I see I must address, and if achieved successfully, can help you in the pursuit of your newfound mission.

 

TRYSTANE

My new mission?! What--what is it?

 

DORAN

Power. You must accumulate power. Listen closely Arianne, this applies as much to you as it does to him.

 

ARIANNE

I am the ever attentive and dutiful daughter.

 

DORAN

For as long as the role suits you. (to TRYSTANE) Power is a tool that can be used and abused by those who wield it, no more and no less. Acquire power and you can use it to do a tremendous good in the world, or equally a great evil. I won't lie to you, in order to gather enough of it to be of any use to anyone, you're going to have to accept that for the greater good you will have to do some despicable things personally, both in the achieving of power and in preventing those who would abuse power from acquiring more than they currently possess. You must be like a spear, sharpened and ready to do your worst in a moment's notice if you want to do some good in the world and make the lives of the smallfolk better.

 

TRYSTANE

To do good I must do evil? How does that make any sense? How does spreading more evil in the world allow any good to live?

 

ARIANNE

The world is not full of good people, and to meet them with good intentions when they will likely bring nothing but evil and ruin to you is foolish.

 

TRYSTANE

I am not so naive as that! What I meant was, introducing one weed into the garden, leaves room for it to propagate and multiply, eventually choking out the rest of the plants until only the weed remains. By doing evil, you spread it yourself, and like the inattentive gardener, allow weeds to spread. Eventually they suffocate whatever harvest you grow, leaving all hungry and starved, and the hungry and starved look to other sources of comfort that they can, often violent ones--and thus the weeds you allow to grow will spread its influence until the entire system has been corrupted.

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

What did Lord Yronwood have you do--grow his vegetables and harvest his fields?

 

DORAN

The tending of plants is not comparable to the subtleties of power. Mayhaps I was wrong to think you ready for this matter.

 

TRYSTANE

No father, I am willing to learn your view, I just thought—

 

DORAN

You are too young to be thinking for yourself, it would seem. Keep your mouth shut, your own thoughts to yourself, and do as _I_ tell you. If you glean nothing else from this discussion, take with you the knowledge that power is harsh and unforgiving like the sun on our banner. Grab it wrongly and it will burn you.

 

(Camera cuts to the following scene depicting the loading of a ship as the conversation ends)

  
DORAN (voice over)  
Everyone seeks it, it burns many who try to grasp it, and those who actually avoid it are pallid fools for doing so. Acquire power by any means necessary and then you may use it to help those who cannot help themselves if you so choose.

 

TRYSTANE (voice over)  
What is this power? I will not inherit Dorne, and I don't think you wish me to rule some deserted corner as a bannerman for my sister.

 

DORAN (voice over)  
Dragons.

 

 

 

**EXT. DOCK AT SUNSPEAR**

Scene continued from the shot at the end of the last scene, we see TRYSTANE dressed for travel giving his farewells to DORAN and ARIANNE on a dock. ARIANNE looks rather sickly, but attempts to hide it. DORAN hands TRYSTANE two letters, one of which looks rather old.

 

TRYSTANE

(holding the older letter up)

What's this?

 

DORAN

Something I should have given you long ago, but the time was never right. Read it on your voyage, it will aid you more in your mission more than you know, and forgive me for holding on to it for this long.

 

TRYSTANE looks at the letter oddly before tucking it away into his belt.

 

ARIANNE

I wish you well, little brother. (ARIANNE kisses him on his cheek) Bring us back four dragons, one to wed, and three to ride.

 

TRYSTANE nods and mounts the gangplank.

 

 

 

 

**EXT. SHIP DECK NEAR TARTH - SUNSET**

We see JAIME carry MYRCELLA up to see the sun setting on the horizon. TYENE isn't far behind with a chair. They place it on the deck of the ship and MYRCELLA in the chair. JAIME and TYENE then sit with MYRCELLA as the sun sets and she clearly dies as the light fades from the sky. Shots are cut to give the sense of time passing and MYRCELLA growing worse until she has slumped into JAIME while holding TYENE's hand.

 

 

 

**EXT. DOCK AT SUNSPEAR**

We see the ship is sailing off in the distance and ARIANNE watching it with DORAN on the dock. ARIANNE then turns and begins to walk off, but as she’s walking, her face contorts and she doubles over, clutching her stomach. DORAN motions for his guard to wheel him off the dock, as they turn, the GUARD freezes as he sees ARIANNE doubled in pain. DORAN takes note, but fails to react in any great manner beyond a sigh before speaking.

 

DORAN  
Are you well?

 

ARIANNE turns and we see blood has begun to stain the front of her dress.

 

 

 

**EXT. TRYSTANE'S CABIN**

We see TRYSTANE eyeing the two letters DORAN gave him while Wex practices throwing knives into a target pinned to a barrel. TRYSTANE opens the newer looking letter and begins to read it.

 

DORAN (voice over)

Trystane,

By the time you read this, it is likely that Myrcella will already be dead. Mourn for her as your first love, take as long as you need on the voyage, but when you depart ship put aside all feelings for the poor girl. They will not assist you in your suit.

 

WEX finally achieves his goal of hitting close to the center of the target. TRYSTANE crumples up the letter and exits the cabin, leaving the one letter crumbled up and the other behind. WEX goes over and reads the one letter, and tosses it back aside. He then notices the OLD LETTER left behind and approaches it, opens it, and reads it. WEX's eyes go wide.

 

 

**EXT. ABOVE DECK**

We see TRYSTANE approach the SUMMER ISLANDER CAPTAIN of the ship.

 

TRYSTANE

Captain, we must change course.

 

CAPTAIN

Change course? And where should my sails be pointed?

 

TRYSTANE

For King's Landing.

 

WEX comes running up from below decks.

 

CAPTAIN

I am sorry, my Prince, but your father gave strict instructions to not veer from course. And he said if you tried, to remind you to read both your letters, and not just the one.

 

WEX pulls on TRYSTANE's sleeve to grab his attention, the OLD LETTER in his other hand.

 

TRYSTANE

What is my father paying you? I... I'll double it!

 

CAPTAIN

It's not for your father I am making this voyage, my Prince. (BEAT) Read your letter.

 

SUMMER ISLAND CAPTAIN departs, and TRYSTANE takes the OLD LETTER from WEX. TRYSTANE then sits down and reads the letter. BEAT.

 

 

 

**INT. ARIANNE’S CHAMBERS**

ARIANNE lays on the bed looking feverish, but well taken care of. ENTER DORAN and GUARD.

 

DORAN

So, it seems that I am not to be a grandfather after all, just yet.

 

ARIANNE

Go away.

 

DORAN

Given the exhausting experience you’ve just gone through, I’ll excuse that response this time. You are following Maester Myles’ orders, are you not? We don’t want fever to set in.

 

BEAT

 

ARIANNE

You’re the reason I’m here in the first place. You killed my child.

 

DORAN

You miscarried, as many women have done before you. My own mother miscarried three babies between me and your aunt.

 

ARIANNE

Don’t speak. I saw you on the dock. You did not look at all surprised when I turned around at all. You expected this.

 

BEAT

 

DORAN

You should have as well, to be honest. Did you truly think you could smear poison on your lips and that it wouldn’t affect the baby?

 

ARIANNE

I drank the antidote immediately after.

 

DORAN

Whose ingredients include several moontea components.

 

BEAT

 

ARIANNE

You tricked me. You said it was a foolproof plan, that no serious harm would come to me…

 

DORAN

You’re exaggerating. I said specifically no _lasting_ harm. There is a difference.

 

ARIANNE

That doesn’t change the fact you knew what it would do.

 

DORAN

Stop and use that mind of yours, Arianne. Do you really think having a bastard child would have been good for Dorne? Sure, Princess Loreza’s bastard assisted her half-brother, but being declared regent for him is what started the bloody revolt in the first place. I’d be foolish to let history repeat so. It just so happened that my desire to ensure that coincided with your desire to kill poor Myrcella, who was no longer any value as a piece in the game to me. We both achieved what we wanted in the end, and Trystane will give us that and more after he reads that letter.

 

ARIANNE

There is no end to this with you, is there father?

 

DORAN

No end to the game? Unfortunately that is the case. It only ends in death. Victory is only a temporary delay of the inevitable.

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

You've made a mistake... by tricking me, you just made this much easier than it would have been otherwise for me...

 

DORAN

Planning another attempt to undermine me? It won’t work.

 

ARIANNE

I’m through with being screwed by you, Father.

 

ARIANNE looks to the GUARD and nods her head. The GUARD stabs DORAN through the back of his neck, causing him to gag on the knife and die.

 

DORAN

Trys…tane's… letter...

 

BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

His dying words…

 

ARIANNE begins to laugh, while the GUARD looks between DORAN and ARIANNE. BEAT.

 

ARIANNE

Come here. (BEAT) Your Princess gave you a command. (BEAT) Come here and let me kiss you as your reward.

 

GUARD, with the knife still in his hand, approaches ARIANNE. They kiss. While the GUARD is distracted, ARIANNE swipes another knife from the GUARD’s belt and in a flurry of motion stabs him in the neck as she kisses him. GUARD falls to the ground and bleeds out. GUARD touches the knife at his throat and then looks to ARIANNE. BEAT. GUARD dies.

 

ARIANNE looks around her sickroom and sighs, and then screams.

 

ARIANNE

HELP! MURDER! MURDER! HELP!

 

 

 

**INT. A BACKROOM OF AN INN**

 

We see OBARA and HORYS standing over a map of Sunspear, in the middle of planning something.

 

OBARA

There's a secret entrance that bypasses the south gate, here. As long as we keep a crowd pounding on the south gate, that'll draw all the attention of the guards and then we--

 

In bursts another MAN, who appears out of breath.

 

MAN

Prince Doran... murdered... by the Lannisters.

 

BEAT. OBARA in a fit of rage overturns the pieces and the map off the table.

 

 

 

**EXT. SHIP OFF THE COAST OF DORNE - SUNSET**

 

TRYSTANE is leaning on the gunwale looking at the retreating Dornish coastline with the OLD LETTER in his hands. It looks as though he might drop it into the ocean. TRYSTANE looks at it one more time before pocketing it.

 

TRYSTANE

Goodbye, Myrcella...

 

TRYSTANE turns his back on Westeros.

 

 

 

**EXT. SOUTH GATE OF SUNSPEAR**

 

We see a crowd has formed outside the gate. Atop the battlement stands a HERALD. OBARA and HORYS push through the crowd in an attempt to get close enough.

 

HERALD

And so, it is decreed by your Princess that in light of the murder of Prince Doran by the Lannisters, their cat's paw shall be given to the people of the Shadow City, to give him the justice he so richly deserves.

 

The South Gate opens, just as OBARA and HORYS make their way to the front of the crowd and we see BRONN being shoved by a guard out of the gate and to the ground.

 

BRONN looks up at where he is, we see he has been beaten and tortured from some obvious wounds upon his face.

 

BRONN

Fuck the Lannisters and their debts...

 

The crowd jeers as BRONN moves, and then they rush forward and engulf him. We hear BRONN's screams slowly drowned out by the roar of the crowd. OBARA watches, seemingly impartial. Then the part of the crowd that did not rush forward, looks up near where the HERALD was. OBARA looks up and the camera follows her gaze and we see a weakened ARIANNE on the battlements, having to stand with a cane.

  
ARIANNE

People of the Shadow City! I applaud you in giving justice to such a vile and wicked murderer! But, I pray you not forget that he did not act alone. He was given orders by the Lannisters to murder my father... and he very nearly succeeded in killing me as well, were it not for the gallant actions of our city guards. He alone has acted to divide us and confuse us Dornish--to make us forget who the enemy is... who the real enemy has always been--anyone from north of the Red Mountains. And so, for this act, I Princess Arianne do hereby declare Dorne to be free and independent of the Iron Throne--as it was in the days of old when dragons flew in the air. And for the horrendous murder of my father, I declare war between King's Landing and Sunspear!

 

The crowd roars it approval, and then begins to chant.

 

CROWD

WAR! WAR! WAR! etc.

 

As the crowd chants, OBARA's gaze meets ARIANNE's. The two stare at one another, and then OBARA gives an overly elaborate mock bow. ARIANNE smirks. The Crowd's chant swells and so does the music. Cut to Black.

 

**END SEASON FIVE DORNISH ARC.**


	11. Season 5 "Extra Scene"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consider this a Deleted Scene from "Dorne with Arianne". I had intended to write it when writing the episode it was from originally, but got too tired one night and simply decided to leave it out since it had less to do with Dorne but instead held more meaning for my idea for Trystane in Meereen. Well, since I'm moving on to Trystane in Meereen, here it is, back in circulation.

** SEASON 5, EPISODE 3: HIGH SPARROW **

 

  
**EXT. ESSOSI ROAD OUTSIDE OF VOLANTIS**  
  
We see a wheelhouse traveling along a dusty road being drawn by two horses approaching a large city.

 

 

**INT. WHEELHOUSE - DAY**

 

TYRION sits playing with the shutters on the windows looking out. Sunlight streams through the windows.

 

TYRION

I have to get out of this wheelhouse.

 

VARYS

Volantis is a large city.

 

TYRION

I have to get out of this wheelhouse.

  
VARYS  
The likelihood of you being spotted here increases a hundred fold.

 

TYRION

I have to get out of this wheelhouse.

 

VARYS

I’m not sure how many new ways I can find of saying this.

 

TYRION

I will not be of any use to Daenerys Targaryen if I lose my mind. I cannot remember the last face I saw that wasn’t yours.

 

VARYS begins to speak, but is cut off when suddenly the wheelhouse is brought to a stop, causing TYRION to trip over due to its abruptness.  
  
DRIVER (off screen)  
Whoa!

 

TYRION

We’ve stopped!

 

VARYS

We’ve stopped.

 

TYRION moves for the door, but is surprised when a knock is heard before he can open it.

 

VARYS and TYRION share a look as another knock is heard. VARYS puts himself between TYRION and the door.

 

VARYS

Whatever you do, do not use your actual name or history.

  
The knock is heard again and VARYS opens it. We see standing at the door a woman dressed in silks. Behind her we see another wheelhouse accompanied with men with poleaxes.

 

WOMAN

Is this how you greet an old friend, Varys?

 

VARYS

Princess Mellario!

 

MELLARIO enters the wheelhouse and the door is shut behind her.

 

MELLARIO

Please, drop that dreaded relic of a title. We are not in Dorne, therefore I am not a Princess.

 

TYRION

You’re Prince Doran’s wife?

 

MELLARIO settles down in the wheelhouse.

 

MELLARIO

(sighs)

Unfortunately.

 

TYRION

Whenever someone says unfortunately after a sigh such as that, there is usually an intriguing story to tell behind that sigh.

 

MELLARIO

And who are you, a drunk dwarf?

 

TYRION begins to speak but VARYS cuts him off.

 

VARYS

You must forgive my friend, since his _mummer’s troupe_ abandoned him, he hasn’t been in the company of many people for several moons, and the wine has gotten to him.

 

TYRION

(rolls his eyes)

Aye, and beyond being drunk, I can sing, dance, and cartwheel for your entertainment.

 

MELLARIO

A dwarf who is acrobatic? Truly a rarity to behold. _(to VARYS)_ I can understand why you needed my wheelhouse to move this... _treasure_.

 

TYRION

Oh, I’d very gladly do a trick for you, my lady, if you would share with me the story behind that sigh. A story for a trick, surely that is a fair trade.

 

VARYS

You did not say you’d be in Volantis in your raven.

 

MELLARIO

And how else am I to check my piers storehouses, and ships here before trade is resumed with Slaver’s Bay?

 

VARYS

Trade has begun once again with Slaver’s Bay? That must be a boon for the Elephants’ reelection.

 

MELLARIO

Aye, it’s good trade for the blacksmiths who wish to sell arms and armor both here and to those in Yunkai and Astapor.

 

VARYS

Are the Elephants or the Tigers in control of the city?

 

MELLARIO

Both. They’ve forged an alliance. Nyessos Vhassar, the Ivory Elephant, has betrothed his daughter to the Old Tiger, Malaquo Maegyr’s only son. They are to be wed soon, and together they’ve pledged, if re-elected, to destroy the dragon queen and her army of unsullied either here or in Meereen.

 

TYRION

Maegyr? Why does that name sound so familiar?

 

VARYS glares at TYRION briefly.

 

VARYS

A Maegyr married some Westerosi lord with a direwolf, my friend. No doubt you heard the tale in some Pentoshi brothel.

 

MELLARIO

Malaquo’s daughter, Talisa, I believe her name was. I’d heard she was made a Queen before meeting a rather tragic end at a wedding. Such is the barbarism of the Sunset Kingdoms.

 

VARYS

Indeed, barbarism always reigns supreme when the right ruler does not sit the throne.

 

MELLARIO

(smirks)

And where, do you expect to find this rightful ruler?

 

VARYS

Who said I was in search for a right _ful_ ruler? I have left the Sunset Kingdoms behind me and seek new fortunes in the East.

 

MELLARIO

You are not the only one with little birds whispering in their ear, my friend. And if you mean to find your ruler in Meereen, I should warn you that since the dragon girl has destroyed the slave trade, trade now means war and war means trade.

 

TYRION

She’s destroyed the slave trade by taking a city?

 

MELLARIO

By taking three cities, which leaves only Volantis as a slave city. And every day that Slaver’s Bay goes without slaves, Volantis grows ever anxious… and tigers and elephants wed out of fear of dragons.

 

TYRION

Abolishing the slave trade is all well and good, but it will bring this girl no friends.

 

MELLARIO

To say the least! All I can say is that she better keep those dragons as far from the Rhoyne as she can, if she wishes to see them grow any larger. Too many of my kith and kin would pay their weight in gold to see the last of the Valyrian dragonlords brought down and killed. We’ve lived without them since the Doom, and we would not care to see them return to any prominent point of power—no matter how distant a realm.

 

TYRION

We?

 

MELLARIO

I speak as a Rhoynar. Our numbers may be few here in Essos since Nymeria took her fleet, fled, and conquered Dorne, but we who do remain live and remember. We remember how they came up from Old Valyria and burned our cities, raped our women, and enslaved our children. The worst of all is the cost to the children. They who did no wrong, they who are left with little or nothing, made to pay the price that others force on them. Even now they pay for the mistakes others foolishly make. My son, my own little boy...

 

MELLARIO begins to cry. VARYS reaches over to comfort MELLARIO by placing his hand upon hers.

 

VARYS

Princess…

 

BEAT. MELLARIO regains control of herself and pulls her hand out from under VARYS'. VARYS withdraws his hand.

 

MELLARIO

Please, as a friend, I urge you to abandon your hopes of seeing that dragon queen turn her eyes Westward.

 

VARYS

There are other ways to the West than through Volantis—she could always sail there.

 

BEAT.

 

MELLARIO

I see I cannot convince you otherwise. Fair fortune, Lord Varys, may you find whatever it is you are looking for in the East. But, I’m afraid that you’ll have to journey there without my wheelhouse.

 

  
**EXT. LONG BRIDGE OF VOLANTIS**

We see a crowded bridge with houses built on either side of it with a crowd of people, slaves, merchants, and nobles alike walking the bridge. We see several slaves carrying a cloth elephant and tiger upon a palanquin, with a dead cloth dragon at their feet, and shouting to vote for both “Nyessos Vhassar and Malaquo Maegyr” and the “Wedding of the Tiger and the Elephant”.

 

TYRION

True friendship is such a hard thing to find these days.

 

VARYS

We should be heading for the harbor.

 

TYRION

You heard the Princess, Varys, all the ships are heading for Yunkai and Astapor to arm them against “good” Queen Daenerys. Even if we could find some madman willing to sail us to Meereen, I know enough of the game to know when the chance of success is unlikely.

 

VARYS

We will make it to Meereen, it’s simply a matter of when, not if.

 

TYRION

Well, until we do, I need to find some more wine, or we’ll never make the journey.

 

**_(scenes continue as written for Tyrion & Varys in this episode)_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am thinking of doing a follow up to this with Varys meeting Talisa's brother and his young bride to be, and convincing them to let Daenerys pass Volantis in order to avenge Talisa's death against the Westerosi who killed her. I always thought it a shame that if they were going to include Volantis, they didn't "wrap up" any ties Talisa had with Volantis, which is what I'd do.


	12. Season 5 "Extra Scene 2"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so I fulfilled my muse. This turned out to be a little more of a fluffy-depressive sentiment than I had originally imagined it, but I think this not only sets up the troubles facing Meereen in Season 6 rather well IMO, it introduces us to a recognizable set of faces from Volantis, gives us a broader sense of its culture and divisions, and also gives us a chance to see Varys in action, manipulating and making deals right and left in order to achieve what he wants.
> 
> It also fleshes out Volantis so we get a better sense of it than just the unwashed slaves and destitute that we see in Episode 3, but additionally have the wealthy to contrast the earlier scenes with, albeit in a simplified manner.
> 
> Also I think it's a nice call back and tribute to Talisa and the effect her existence and death has had on the wider universe.

****EPISODE SEVEN: THE GIFT  
  


**INT. A PRIVATE ROOM IN A WEALTHY MANSE - VOLANTIS**

 

We see a crowded room holding a wedding feast, we see a young man, BENURRO, and a young woman, NYGEERA, are sitting at the dais of a room with a feast and several gifts laid piled to the side. BENURRO is dressed in fine clothes of cloth of gold with tiger fur trim and tiger eye gems and an ornately handled sword at his side, while NYGEERA is dressed as equally fine in cloth of silver with ivory jewelry shaped like tusks. Off to the side we see two fat old men dressed similarly if less elegantly than the newlyweds, MALAQUO and NYESSOS are speaking at the head of several other important looking nobles and merchants alike. Slaves are serving the meal. Dancing by several nobles is seen at the other end of the room from the newlyweds. BENURRO and NYGEERA look rather bored with the entire affair and extremely indifferent to each other. The entire scene is spoken in Valyrian with subtitles.

 

BENURRO drums his fingers on his sword handle. NYGEERA sees this and frowns.

 

NYGEERA

You could look a little happier.

 

BENURRO

_(he gestures his head towards their fathers)_

And let them win? Fuck that. I’d rather just go to war and be done with it than put up with this farce.

 

NYGEERA

Our fathers needed assurances from the smaller factions in the city that they will support them. By joining our two powerful factions together, we ensure the smaller factions do not overstep themselves. And what better way to bind us all together and get the city drunk enough to agree to this madness than with a wedding?

 

BENURRO

_(rolls his eyes)_

Only an elephant would be in need of assurances. A Maegyr never crosses their word.

 

NYGEERA

So then, as of this afternoon, you’re mine and I am yours then, truly? No others?

 

BEAT.

 

BENURRO

You’re my wife… whatever else you may have, doesn’t matter.

 

NYGEERA laughs and BENURRO drinks. VARYS approaches.

 

VARYS

Blessings upon you both.

 

NYGEERA

That accent… you are not from Volantis.

 

VARYS

Aye, and you are both intelligent and discerning to have picked it up so quickly.

 

NYGEERA

My father does much business with foreigners.

 

BENURRO

Have you come with a gift?

 

VARYS

I have, one for each of you, though, I think they might be more appropriately given to you each individually.

 

BENURRO

And what have you to give us alone that you cannot give us both at once?

 

VARYS

The gift I have for you, my lord, concerns family.

 

BEAT. BENURRO’s attitude completely changes, going from the sullen bridegroom wishing to have the farce over with, to highly engaged and concerned.

 

BENURRO

Family? Do you come with news from the Sunset Kingdoms?

 

NYGEERA looks at BENURRO, surprised by his sudden reaction.

 

VARYS

Again, what news I have is best delivered _alone_.

 

BENURRO rises and steps off the dais and walks over to a secluded corner of the room. NYGEERA is approached by other well-wishers, but her attention is naturally drawn to BENURRO and VARYS.

 

BENURRO

Well? Have you have word from my sister? The last letter she sent to our mother made mention of her having married some King of the Sunset Kingdoms. I have not heard a word from her since.

 

VARYS

It is my unfortunate duty to inform you that your sister is dead.

 

BEAT.

 

BENURRO

How?

 

VARYS

She was savagely murdered at a wedding, her and her unborn child—not her own wedding mind you, but one of a kinsman of her new husband.

 

BEAT. BENURRO looks ready to fall to pieces.

 

BENURRO

She should have never left Volantis. I tried to tell her… I should have stopped her...

 

BENURRO looks defeated and remorseful. CUT briefly to NYGEERA who seems affected by the sight.

 

VARYS

My many apologies for delivering such news on the eve of your wedding.

 

BENURRO grabs VARYS by the elbow and fervently meets his eyes.

 

BENURRO

Who?

 

VARYS

Excuse me?

 

BENURRO

Who killed her?

 

VARYS

A man by the name of Walder Frey.

 

BENURRO lets VARYS go and wanders off to a darkened corner of the room looking rather sullen. VARYS turns around and sees NYGEERA standing there having left the dais herself.

 

NYGEERA

This gift you gave my husband seems poisoned. What was it?

 

VARYS

Terrible news, I’m afraid.

 

BEAT. NYGEERA looks again at the clearly sullen BENURRO.

 

NYGEERA

And given you’re the bearer of such misfortune, tell me, what should I expect from you? The sinking of my father’s ships? The ruin of our fortune?

 

VARYS

For my gift for you, I have a trade.

 

NYGEERA

A trade, for me? What would my father say—or should I say now, what will my husband say?

 

VARYS

Forgive me, but we both know that it’s the lady elephants who hold the true power in the faction more than the men.

 

NYGEERA smirks.

 

NYGEERA

And what is this trade then?

 

VARYS

The trade is that I have contacts in the Free Cities, contacts who until now have kept your faction’s interests confined to certain areas of trade in those cities. In addition to renegotiating those areas, I shall tell you what upset your husband so, and in exchange I shall have from you... one small favor that I will ask of you to fulfill when I need of it.

 

NYGEERA

And what makes you think that I care what my husband’s feelings are?

 

VARYS

You would not be standing here if you were as indifferent as you pretend to seem. He is after all a comely young man, a welcome complement to your own natural beauty, and given his reaction, not one without affection, a rare quality among men of his age--and to be at odds with that for the rest of your lives. Tut. Tut. Tut. Such a misfortune.

 

NYGEERA crosses her arms.

 

VARYS

Well?

 

NYGEERA

I see little wrong with such a deal, when I stand to gain so much for so little.

 

VARYS smiles.

 

VARYS

Then it is my misfortune to tell you that your goodsister has been murdered.

 

NYGEERA

Murdered?!

 

VARYS

Aye, and your husband, if I am not mistaken was, unfortunately, extremely close to her.

 

BEAT. NYGEERA looks at BENURRO.

 

VARYS

Do I have your word on that small favor?

 

NYGEERA nods and approaches BENURRO slowly. We linger on the two newlyweds as NYGEERA now approaches him with care. She touches him cautiously. BENURRO reacts with surprise. The two speak, but we do not hear their words, and then they embrace, at first surprising NYGEERA, but soon easily comforting BENURRO. We cut back to VARYS who smirks. NYESSOS and MALAQUO approach VARYS.

 

MALAQUO

Unless I’ve gone blind, I cannot believe my eyes.

 

NYESSOS

What did I say you old tiger? Varys has not disappointed me before, and he hasn’t let us down this time. At this rate, we might actually have grandchildren before the night is through.

 

MALAQUO

How did you do it?

 

VARYS

It’s really quite simple. As a spider, I am a great observer of men and women who pass my web. I've seen that most men do not wish to be wed to an ivory statue, and most women do not wish to be married to an iron sword. As such, I simply reminded them of their hearts, and let their trusting youth take care of the rest, nothing more. I hope that our arrangement will stand, then?

 

MALAQUO frowns.

 

NYESSOS

Aye, but you will only have seven moons.

 

MALAQUO

After which we shall sail on the city and whatever fate awaits your dragon queen then shall be the Lord of Light’s to decide.

 

VARYS bows.

 

VARYS

I understand, and thank you both for your confidence.

 

NYESSOS smirks.

 

MALAQUO

Hmmph.

 

MALAQUO and NYESSOS depart. VARYS turns back to the darkened corner and we see that the comforting has turned to kissing between NYGEERA and BENURRO. VARYS smirks and departs.


End file.
